Salt Water Soothes the Soul
by Ltb16
Summary: CS AU. Her life hadn't been easy but she always found some comfort when she was near the water. Now Emma Swan lives in a tiny resort town, enjoying small town life. Killian Jones recently lost his brother and wanted a new start. When he meets Emma in a random encounter, he finds himself wanting more. Will these two allow the salt water to sooth their souls? *Updated weekly.
1. Chapter 1

**I started writing this fic months ago and finally felt like I was far enough into the story to share. It worked out perfectly that this week is also CS AU Week on Tumblr. Hope you like it.**

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Chapter One: Emma

It was an unusually warm day for so early in the season. Only mid-April and an expected temperature of seventy-seven degrees. The beach was deserted at this hour, not only because it was barely past seven in the morning, but because there was still nearly six weeks until that iconic holiday weekend that brought droves of tourists to every seaside town like seagulls to discarded Boardwalk fries. Part of her loved it; the way the sleepy little town became alive, every store and restaurant open for business, scents of caramel popcorn and sunblock wafting through the air, intermingled with the squawks of seagulls and shouts of lively children.

But there are parts she hated; the way it was nearly impossible to run errands on the weekend seeing as every hotel and rental property within twenty miles alternate between Saturday and Sunday check outs, jamming the main roads with cars full of people returning home to their usual lives in one direction and cars full of people desperate to start their vacation in the other. Parking was a nightmare, lines were long and everything was crowded but if she was being honest with herself, she wouldn't trade it for the world.

Nearly her entire life had been spent moving from place to place and this was one she didn't intend to leave if she had any say in it. The small cottage she rented, once a pool house on a larger estate was less than a mile from the ocean and on those rare nights where the ocean raged, she could hear the rush of the waves pounding against the sand throughout the cottage.

The ocean is what kept her there. There was something about digging your feet into the fine granules of sand and staring out into that vast expanse of blue that made you feel small and insignificant in the most perfect of ways. That your problems weren't nearly that problematic, your worries not quite as worrisome as you first thought and your fears not quite as fearsome either. That nothing was ever really as bad as it might seem.

That's why she came this morning. To get that reminder from the ocean, that everything is going to be okay. There wasn't something troubling her now, but it had become habit on her days off to slip down to the still night-chilled sand after the first rays of the sun begin to peek over the horizon and find that comfort in the ocean.

Not wanting to leave it's calming properties just yet, Emma Swan sank down into the cool sand, leaning back on her elbows. Closing her eyes, she turned her face up toward the sun, allowing the methodical rhythm of the waves crashing into the shore to relax her.

"Hey! Look out!" A male voice shouted, shattering her bubble of calm. Her eyes flew open just in time to see red frisbee hurtling right for her head, but she was more concerned about the gigantic golden retriever running behind it at full speed who didn't seem to notice her. She'd been nearly asleep, the relaxed state slowing her movements and there was nothing she could do but brace for impact as the dog flopped over her chest.

From her new position, flat on her back, she could see the frisbee had lodged itself into the mound of sand behind her. The mass of fur momentarily ignored her to retrieve the frisbee but quickly returned, slobbery pink tongue coming out to leave a trail of sticky canine saliva across her cheek.

She tried to speak but all that came out was a grunt and she realized the damn dog knocked the wind out her. Her hand waved uselessly trying to get the dog to stop.

"Brinkley!" A voice admonished and the dog immediately stopped his tongue bath to her face and backed up, sitting tall and looking to his master for further instruction.

"I am quite sorry. Are you okay?" The voice continued, now hovering over her.

She blinked a few times, wondering if she was hallucinating before taking in the attractive face peering down at her. Bright blue eyes surrounded by sculpted cheekbones and a chiseled jawline not hidden at all by what appeared to be a week's worth of scruff. Disheveled, although not from the wind as there was barely a breeze today, dark hair topped his head, a few locks falling carelessly onto his forehead.

"Fine." She wheezed, sitting up to gulp air into her lungs. "Just fine, but I seriously can't wait until the no dogs on the beach law kicks into effect."

The man offered her a sheepish smile. "Truly love, I am most apologetic for Brinkley here knocking you over. He's quite ashamed as well."

She stopped herself mid eye roll. Of course her attacker - well, the human of her canine attacker- would not only be attractive but have an accent. A rich Irish accent, like the ones described in the romance books she claimed to never have read. Her eyes trailed over to the dog, who offered her an impressive set of puppy dog eyes and appeared nearly as ashamed as his owner declared.

"Yeah he looks it." She conceded but the sarcasm was apparent in her voice.

The man held out his hand to help her up. She found herself taking it without a second thought, nearly dropping it from the spark that ignited when they touched. He didn't let go once she was upright, instead gripping her hand a little harder before shaking it with a nod of his head. "Killian Jones and as I've said, this gigantic pile of fur is Brinkley."

She snorted at his description of the dog who looked properly offended. "Emma Swan."

Killian beamed. "Nice to meet you Emma. Perhaps I could buy you dinner to make up for this mishap?"

"Not necessary, thanks." She replied, brushing the sand from her backside.

"Lunch?" He amended.

She shook her head. "Coffee then? Please, allow me to do something other than assist you up after my dog has knocked the wind out of you."

"Go to obedience classes maybe." She muttered under her breath.

"I don't think you're the type to need them." He replied easily with a smirk. At the look of outrage on her face, he continued. "Brinkley has taken obedience classes, as you'll note he's nicely sitting over there and I did not command him. What happened this morning was a mistake. He's quite contrite, I assure you. It'd mean as much to him as to me if you'd allow me to at least purchase your morning coffee to make up for it."

"I don't drink coffee." She replied, turning away from him. When she heard him sigh, she found herself turning back. "I do drink hot chocolate though and there's a place on the boardwalk that makes a mean one if you're so inclined to provide my morning sugar rush."

A grin broke out on his face. "Very much inclined. Please, lead the way. I haven't figured my way around much yet."

"Tourist?" She asked, dully, unable to keep the disdain from her voice.

"I'm renting a place until October." He replied.

"Extended tourist."

"Are those quite as bad?" He asked.

"Depends." She smirked.

The walk from the beach to the boardwalk and down the street to the restaurant was a short one.

"So where are you staying?" She asked, curious to know where he has found a rental. Most of the rentals came in week long increments, to cater to the vacationing families. There was a decent amount of rentals for the entire summer, mainly from the snowbirds that found Florida too enticing to leave but still weren't willing to give up their Delaware home.

Emma had lived in hotel rooms and seasonal rentals for her first two years, unable to make a more permanent move. When she finally decided to stay, searched for nearly four months before finding a year-long rental and the only reason she found it was because the children who inherited the main house from their parents wanted to keep someone on the property year round to make them aware of any issues.

"Its a condo off route twenty-six near the bay. The owners said they wanted to do a test run of a full year in Florida before deciding if it was going to stick." He replied.

She nodded. "Its common, all of the retirees are never quite sure if they really want to leave for the land of the old people permanently or not."

He snorted. "Land of the old people?"

"It's an entirely accurate description of the majority of Florida." She argued.

"Perhaps. I have yet to visit." He replied, coming to an abrupt stop behind her when she pulled open the door to the restaurant.

She turned, expecting him to follow her but instead found him looking between the door and Brinkley unsure of where park the canine for the time being. She sighed. "Bring him in." She said. "Betsy loves dogs and it's the off season." She swore the dog smiled at her as he trotted in after his master.

"Emma!" A silver haired woman emerged from the back room of the restaurant. "I didn't expect to see you today."

In attempts to keep her checking account in the black, Emma only splurged on hot chocolate from the Sunny Day Crepes restaurant once a week, opting to make her hot chocolate at home for the rest of the week. Emma pointed to the man next to her. "This guys dog tried to kill me. He offered to buy me hot chocolate to make up for it."

Killian blushed. "Is she always this dramatic?" He asked the older woman. "I'm Killian and Brinkley here is a very well trained dog. He got a little too overzealous this morning in his quest to retrieve the frisbee."

Betsy came around the counter and over to Brinkley who immediately offered her his paw to shake, unprompted. "Oh how adorable! Shake with your other paw?" Betsy asked Brinkley who promptly offered the other paw.

Knowing she was going to lose this war to a dog clearly intent on charming the restaurant owner, Emma sighed. "So, about that hot chocolate..."

"Oh, fine." Betsy pouted, dropping her hand from where she was scratching behind the dog's ears. "Killian, what will you have?"

"Coffee, just a splash of cream, no sugar. Although I must ask, what smells so heavenly?"he asked.

"Crepes. Can I interest you in one? Sweet ones are on that board, savory over there." The silver haired woman replied, pointing to the large hanging menus.

"This was just supposed to be hot chocolate." Emma muttered.

"Emma." Betsy warned. "Don't be so prickly." Turning to Killian she held up her hand, blocking her lips. "She's not known for being the friendliest, especially before she's had any sugar. " Betsy mock-whispered.

"I am not prickly and I'm sitting right here! Stop talking about me!" Emma exclaimed.

The older woman waved her hand. "Emma I know you won't say no to a banana crepe. Killian, you seem like the savory crepe type. Perhaps the bacon, mozzarella, tomato and basil crepe? I was just pruning the basil plant when you came in."

Emma felt his eyes on her, wanting to know if she'd accept more than just her morning drink with him. She glanced over at Betsy who offered her an encouraging nod. "Fine, but I want extra cinnamon sauce."

"Obviously!" The old woman replied with a grin, making and serving their drinks before making her way through the swinging half doors leading to the kitchen.

"Thank you for having breakfast with me as well." He said.

She shrugged. "The crepes are good."

"Would it be wrong to presume you're quite the fan of cinnamon?" He asked, gesturing to the brown sprinkles adorning the whipped cream topping her drink. "I've never thought to put it on hot chocolate."

She shrugged again. "I had it this way once as a kid and loved it. It's not common, but it's just my thing."

"Perhaps I'll have to try it that way sometime." He mused, taking a long sip of his coffee.

Betsy brought out their crepes a few minutes later, even putting a few slices of bacon on a plate for Brinkley. "I wasn't watching and they over-cooked." She explained, but Emma knew it was a lie. The old woman was meticulous about her cooking and there is no way she distracted herself long enough to let some bacon burn. The pieces were clearly made with Brinkley in mind.

Emma sliced off the corner of her crepe, making sure to get a slice of banana and swirled the forkful through the extra cinnamon sauce that has oozed out onto her plate. Her eyes slipped shut as she brought the fork to her mouth, allowing the favors explode over her tongue. She didn't allow herself these indulgences often but when she did, she made sure to truly savor each bite. She heard the chime of the restaurant door opening and footsteps heading past their table toward the counter but paid them no mind. Feeling the stickiness of the cinnamon sauce on her lip, she stuck out her tongue to lick it away.

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of him clearing his throat. She watched as he fidgeted in his seat, the bob of his Adam's apple as he swallowed hard. "You okay there?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

He cleared his throat again. "Fine, love."

"You're lying." She replied immediately, picking up on the untruth without a second thought.

His cheeks took on a pink hue and his hand found it's way behind his ear, scratching nervously. "Err..."

"He probably wasn't expecting you to make bedroom noises at a crepe." Emma spun around to find her friend and co-worker Rachelle standing behind her.

"I did not..."Emma started.

"You were like a second away from moaning." Rachelle interrupted before turning her eyes to Killian. "I'm Rachelle, but my friends call me Ruby. And you are?"

"Killian Jones." He replied with a smile.

"Ooooh accent! Where are you from?" Rachelle grinned back at him.

"Ireland."

"So Emma, were you not planning on introducing me to your friend?" The brunette teased.

"Ruby, he's not my friend. His dog barreled into me this morning and in my sugar-free state I agreed to let him buy me a hot chocolate. Then Betsy had to make us crepes..." Emma tried to explain.

"Yeah, yeah. So did you leave your phone at home or something? David said he called twice and texted you about coming in tomorrow but didn't hear from you, so he called me and then you didn't respond to me either, so here I am." Rachelle asked.

Emma slid her hands down to her pockets, patting them for the cell phone that was always stored within. She came up empty. "Shit. I must've left it on the charger. What time tomorrow? This is suppose to be my only Saturday and Sunday off together until after the tourists go home for the season, which is _months_ from now."

"I know, I'd cover for you but I'll be at the shop." Rachelle replied. Rachelle was one of the few locals who grew up in the tourist town and chose to hang around, not move further inland where nearly all the jobs were offered year-round. It's too far from the ocean, she explained to Emma on her first day at the shop. Emma understood immediately, requiring no further explanation.

Monday through Friday and alternating Saturdays, the pair worked at a car dealership answering phones to schedule sales and service appointments. They quickly became friends and when Emma confessed to needing another job to make it through the off season, Rachelle talked her boss at the seafood restaurant into hiring Emma. Rachelle was a bartender and Emma switched between bartending and waitressing, as needed at the popular oceanfront spot. "Ten until two, the brunch shift. Mandy can't get a babysitter and David doesn't want to be short handed for the bridal shower in the back room."

"Oh, ugh! I have to waitress the bridal shower?" Emma groaned.

"I know, I'm sorry! But hey, I gotta run I'm supposed to meet a Victor at Bayside for brunch in an hour and you never know how One will be." Rachelle replied, referring to the main highway linking all of the coastal towns.

Emma nodded in understanding. The barbecue restaurant where Rachelle was meeting Victor was more than halfway to the larger beachy resort of Rehoboth but also past the outlets and if Emma had learned anything about tourist-town living, it was that people from all over the state would still flock down on the weekends to take advantage of the outlets and tax free shopping, especially in such nice weather.

In the off season the traffic lights were set for shorter intervals, meaning if there was a back up at one outlet it would create a domino effect, causing nearly stand-still traffic. "Thanks for letting me know. See ya later."

"Nice to meet you!" Rachelle gave a quick wave to Killian before dashing out of the restaurant.

Emma stood up almost immediately after, glancing down at her watch. "Uh, thanks for breakfast but I gotta go." Losing one day of her weekend was not in her plans and now she needed to make up for it.

"Wait! I'd like you see you again. I haven't met many people here yet..." His hand reached up to scratch behind his ear again.

Emma was surprised she found it so endearing. She had barely spoken to the man and despite his canine's lack of couth, she found herself enjoying his company, something that hadn't happened other than with Rachelle in nearly five years. "It's a small town, I'm sure you can find me. Although I'd prefer an encounter not like the first one if you and Brinkley could arrange that."

His eyes lit up at her teasing. Offering her a salute he replied. "Aye aye ma'am. I promise our next encounter will be much different."

Laughing, she offered him a quick wave before closing the restaurant door behind her and quickly making her way down the street to where her bug was parked.

Working at the car dealership was the only thing that kept the hunk of yellow metal still running. Her boss there, Jeff, had a soft spot for older cars and gave her a decent enough employee discount to cover the many necessary repairs to keep the nearly forty year old clunker still running.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Killian

 _-Connecticut, one year ago-_

The insistent knocking on his door finally caused him to get up from the couch and stumble toward it, squinting his eyes in the bright sunlight of mid-afternoon.

"Killian Jones?" A man in a brown uniform holding an express envelope asked.

He nodded then winced at the movement.

"Sign here." The man said, thrusting the stylus and screen into his hand.

Killian scribbled something relatively close to his signature and held the device back out for the delivery man to take in exchange of the envelope.

"Oh hey, you might want to give your dog some water you know. It's like 100 degrees out here." The delivery man said before turning and heading back for his truck.

 _My dog? I don't have a dog. What the hell is he talking about?_ Killian gingerly looked out into his small front yard, not wanting to move his head any more than necessary. Perhaps an entire bottle of rum last night and nothing to eat hadn't been his smartest thought. A whimpering sound caused him to turn to the right.

At the far edge of his porch sat a golden retriever, likely at the end of his puppy years. Killian patted his leg. "Come here." He called to the dog, who quickly trotted over to him.

After the dog had been fed and drank an entire bowl of water, Killian called the local shelter. No one had reported a missing pet. He took a picture of the dog and made up a found pet flyer, posting them around the neighborhood. A week passed with no results.

Killian looked over at the dog who was sprawled out on the couch. "So it appears I'm keeping you." Killian informed him. The dog's ears perked up, his face turning to look at Killian. "And I guess you'll need a name…"

He thought back to the day he found the dog, not exactly his finest moment. He had gotten the call the day before. The sale of the bookstore was complete and he was to receive a check for the profits the next day. Killian knew it was the right thing to do. He had no desire to compete with a chain bookstore, especially with Liam gone now but the pain of losing his brother and giving up the last thing they had shared together was still too raw. He grabbed the bottle of rum off the counter and took a long swig.

Although not something that Killian would readily admit, he'd caught his fair share of romantic comedy movies on television throughout the years. (Side effects of intermittent insomnia) The similarities between himself and a certain movie were all too odd.

He was the owner of a bookstore and a large chain store had come to the area.

The man who owned the chain store was named Joe.

A golden retriever showed up at his door the day he received the check for the sale.

"Brinkley." Killian said aloud and the dog immediately hopped off the couch and came to sit next to him.

"I take it you approve of your new name?" Killian asked and was rewarded with dog kisses.

 _-eleven months later-_

Killian tossed two stuffed duffel bags into the back of his truck. Returning into the house once more, he emerged again with a cardboard box and guitar case, placing them on the floor of the passenger side of his truck. He whistled and Brinkley, who had grown to full size in nearly the year since he found Killian, trotted over and hopped into the truck.

Ten hours later he was on the coastal highway leading to their new home. He rolled down the windows of his old truck, deeply inhaling the scent of salt air. He was still more than fifteen miles from the coastal town where he had found a condo to rent, but the wind was in his favor, wafting the salty scent from the beaches far enough inland for him to enjoy.

Despite it being something that he shared with Liam, the scent of ocean air was always able to calm him. It's why he chose this town. Far enough away from the memories and constant reminders of his brother but still close to the ocean.

"I think we're going to like it here, Brinkley." He said to the golden retriever lying at the opposite end of the bench seat. The canine raised his ears in amusement, shifting to a sitting position to look out the front windshield as though he was taking in the surroundings to form his own opinion of their new location.

"You curious to see what the condo looks like?" He asked. Months had passed since he stopped caring that he always had a conversation with his dog as though the dog would one day respond. "It's on the ground floor. I know you'll appreciate that since your furry ass is afraid of steps."

Brinkley offered him an non-menacing growl in response. Killian had no idea why the canine was afraid of steps but had quickly come to learn he had two options when it came to flights of stairs. Leave Brinkley at the bottom or carry all one hundred pounds of canine up and down them.

Not long later Killian pulled the old pickup truck in front of their new home. The condos were painted a wedgewood blue with white trim. Each building had a large, white scalloped seashell with the numerical address painted in black on it. Grabbing his duffel bag from the back of the truck and throwing it over his shoulder, he led Brinkley around the truck to the entrance of the condo. Fumbling in the pocket of his black jeans, he finally extracted the key the owners had mailed to him the week before.

Knowing the owners were in their mid-seventies, Killian had no idea what to expect of this furnished condo. He didn't care too much about decor but hoped the condo wasn't full of flower-printed fabrics, plastic covered furniture and a vast assortment of doilies on every imaginable surface.

He unlocked the door and nudged Brinkley to head inside. Dropping the duffle bag from his shoulder to the foyer within, he was pleased to find main living area free of stereotypical elderly decor. The condo was surprisingly modern. The front door opened to a small eggshell colored tile foyer. Beyond that sat the living room, two light brown couches formed an "L" shape with a glass coffee table in between. The sides of the couches were flanked by glass end tables, each holding a tall lamp designed to look as though the base were made of coral. The wall to his left held a white brick fireplace with a flat screen television mounted above it. Large anchors, styled to be made of cast-iron hung on each side of the fireplace. A bookshelf full of various leather-bound novels and coastal knick knacks sat in the far left corner, closest to the sliding glass doors providing him a view of the tall bay grasses not fifty feet from where he stood. To the right of the living room was the kitchen and dining room, only separated by a hallway leading to what he assumed was the bedrooms and bathrooms.

The kitchen was a good size, more than he needed for living alone. The appliances were modern, a gleaming stainless steel. The white cabinets contrasted against the dark gray counters but Killian found his eyes drawn to the backsplash. Never one to notice such details before, he was shocked that it stood out to him, appearing to made of sea glass in a variety of blue, green and gray colors. Sweeping his eyes over the counters, he noticed the kitchen was equipped with the few small appliances he came to rely on; a microwave, coffee pot and toaster oven. The dining room table looked handmade, painted white and surrounded by non-matching white, wooden chairs with blue and yellow striped cushions. A china cabinet sat against one wall, full of dishes and various other coastal knick knacks. Nearly floor to ceiling windows allowed in an abundance of natural light.

Following Brinkley down the hallway, he opened the first door on the right and found the guest bathroom, painted a pale shade of yellow with a beach-themed border running along the top. The third door revealed the guest bedroom, wooden bunk beds with navy blue bedding sat against the far wall, an older tube-style television perched at an angle on the dresser closest to the door. At the end of the hall sat accordion style doors, revealing a stacked washer and dryer and shelving holding linens, towels and cleaning supplies. Entering the only room on the left side of the hallway, Killian let himself into the master suite. Brinkley had already claimed his place atop the white four-post bed with sea-green bedding. Nightstands flanked the queen sized bed. The one closest to the wall held an alarm clock, harsh red numbers flashing at Killian indicating the power had went out at some point. A stack of books sat on the other, next to a lamp with a sailboat as it's base. The furniture was ornately carved and painted white, a little too feminine for his taste, but it would do. The owners had emptied the closet, leaving more than enough room for the small wardrobe Killian possessed. Four oversized windows ran the length of the wall facing toward the bay, nearly as gorgeous of a view as from the main living area. The master bathroom was painted a sea green nearly identical to the bedding. A walk-in shower large enough for two was to his left, opposite double sinks.

Brinkley came up and nudged his nose into Killian's hand. "Rather nice, wouldn't you say?" Killian asked the dog who nuzzled his hand again. "Definitely better than the last place although I wonder why in the world they're renting it to me so cheap."

Wandering back into the kitchen, Killian found a handwritten note attached to the refrigerator in a looping, feminine scrawl.

 _Dearest Killian,_

 _Bill and I just wanted to thank you for renting the condo from us. Our kids are trying to convince us to stay in Florida year round, saying it's too much for us to make the trip back and forth every year, but we love the area too much to truly give it up. Having you there to keep an eye on our home is a great comfort. Please let us know right away if you have any issues and we'll resolve them for you right away. Seeing as you haven't been to this area before, please find a list of our favorite places. We hope you'll enjoy them as much as we do. If you get a chance to stop into Coconut's on the boardwalk and see the owner, David, please tell him Beverly and Bill miss him dearly._

 _Kindest Wishes,_

 _Beverly & Bill _

Killian flipped to the next sheet and found another handwritten list of locations, everything from grocery stores to coffee shops and restaurants and even the time frame that Brinkley would be allowed on the public beaches. Suggestions for the best seafood restaurant were listed as was the best routes to take when the main highway became overrun with locals.

Later that afternoon he ventured back out to the main highway in search of a pet supply store. It didn't take long to find one and Brinkley was more than willing to accompany him inside, sniffing around at all the free treat samples they offered. New food and water bowls, a red leash with white printed anchors, a red frisbee and a bag of dog food later, Brinkley happily trotted along behind his owner to the registers.

Killian decided to stop at the grocery store on the way home, picking up some basic ingredients for his first week there. With Brinkley tied up to the post out front of the store, he didn't want to take long. Cereal, milk and bananas were tossed in the cart to serve as breakfast for the week. A bag of ground coffee and sugar would round out that meal. Cheese and crackers would serve as a mid-afternoon meal since he rarely ate lunch. A few frozen pizzas and other entrees were tossed into the cart and in an attempt to make himself feel as though he ate healthily, a bag of mixed salad, a tomato and salad dressing joined the other ingredients in the cart. Killian had learned to cook years ago and had a decent stock of recipes he could make, but for his first week in a new place he wanted to focus on exploring and not cooking, so simple meals of the frozen variety it was.

His final stop for the night was at the liquor store down the street where he purchased a six pack of locally brewed beers and a bottle of rum. Set for the week, he returned back to the condo and unpacked then decided to try out Brinkley's new leash and took the canine for a walk along the jogging trails that led around the condo property.

Early Saturday morning, Killian awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest, his eyes wide. Instead of the drunk driver behind the wheel of the car that had taken his brother's life, his nightmare had placed him there instead. He'd not seen the warning signs for the curve in the residential road until it was too late, the steering wheel useless in his hands as the car careened around the curve too sharply, going up onto the sidewalk and plowing right into the man with the curly brown hair and navy blue running shorts, catching him at just the right angle to propel him over the car and into the air behind him.

Liam died instantly, the doctor at the hospital told him, but Killian had refused to believe it, feeling as though it was just something doctors were trained to say when someone had died tragically. It wasn't as though he wanted his brother to suffer in his last moments on this earth, it's just that the words felt too rehearsed, too repetitive for Killian to find any truth in them.

Over time, the nightmares had waned, but Killian knew he would never be completely free of them. Turning to his right side, the glowing red numbers of the alarm clock informed him it was nearly six. Knowing there was no chance he could go back to sleep afterward and thankful it wasn't the middle of the night, he climbed out of bed, deciding he and Brinkley could finally go visit the beach on this early morning. Perhaps the scent of salty air and the rush of the waves crashing into the shore would calm his erratically beating heart as it has done so many times before.

They started in the middle of the beach, working their way down as he threw the frisbee to Brinkley who took off at full speed after it each time. After nearly an hour, he tossed the frisbee back in the direction they had come, ready to call it quits on this early morning exercise.

A gust of wind stronger than any of the others he'd encountered this morning sent the frisbee off course, veering toward the dunes. Like Brinkley, Killian didn't see the figure lying in front of the dunes until it was too late. "Hey! Look out!" He yelled, but it hadn't done any good.

He chased after his dog and the errant frisbee, hoping the person now pinned under a hundred and some pounds of canine was an understanding dog person.

He stopped just short of them, Brinkley licking the person's face as they waved their hand uselessly to stop the dog ministrations. "Brinkley!" He commanded and instantly the retriever backed away from the face he had been so enthusiastically licking.

Taking another step forward, he leaned over the figure, a woman in dark skinny jeans and an oversized gray sweatshirt, blonde waves of hair surrounding her face and the prettiest green eyes he had ever seen. "I am quite sorry. Are you okay?"

He watched as she struggled into a sitting position and finally spoke. "Fine." She wheezed with a scowl on her face. "Just fine, but I seriously can't wait until the no dogs on the beach law kicks into effect."

Killian smiled sheepishly. He was actually quite happy they still had more than a few weeks where he could bring Brinkley onto the public beaches. "Truly love, I am most apologetic for Brinkley here knocking you over. He's quite ashamed as well."

The blonde turned her head toward his dog, glaring at him. He watched as Brinkley lowered his head, looking up at both of them with innocent puppy dog eyes. Killian nearly snorted. "Yeah, he looks it." She replied, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

With a shake of his head he realized she was still sitting below him. His right hand shot out immediately to help her get to her feet. She eyed him warily for a second before placing her own palm into his and heaving herself into a standing position. His palm tingled from her touch, something he'd never experienced before, nearly leaving him speechless but unable to let go. Luckily his manners kicked in right away and he shook her hand, introducing himself and Brinkley.

"Emma Swan." She replied. He found the name fitting. Although she clearly wasn't at her most graceful this morning, that was at the fault of his dog, but there was an elegance to her posture and features. But he sensed there was more to her than what she revealed.

Intrigued, he offered to take her to dinner, not just because Brinkley had knocked the wind out of her, but because he needed to know more about the woman standing in front of him. She immediately declined but seeing as she hadn't told him she was in a relationship, he offered a more casual invitation to lunch, thinking perhaps she was too cautious to go on a traditional dinner date with a man she had just met.

She shook her head and he threw out the last offer he could think of. "Coffee then? Please, allow me to do something other than assist you up after my dog has knocked the wind out of you."

"Go to obedience classes maybe." She muttered, but not so softly he wasn't able to hear.

He has no idea where the desire to tease her came from, but the words were falling from his lips before he could rein them in. "I don't think you're the type to need them." He smirked, continuing only when she shot him a look of outrage. "Brinkley has taken obedience classes, as you'll note he's nicely sitting over there and I did not command him. What happened this morning was a mistake. He's quite contrite, I assure you. It'd mean as much to him as to me if you'd allow me to at least purchase your morning coffee to make up for it."

"I don't drink coffee." She replied, turning away from him.

He sighed audibly, dropping his head. The desire to know more about this woman was overwhelming, something he had never experienced in meeting someone for the first time, but she was completely unwilling to get to know him at all.

"I do drink hot chocolate though and there's a place on the boardwalk that makes a mean one if you're so inclined to provide my morning sugar rush." She said, drawing him out of his thoughts.

He couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. "Very much inclined. Please, lead the way. I haven't figured my way around much yet."

* * *

 **A/N: In case you couldn't figure it out, Killian names Brinkley after the golden retriever in You've Got Mail. Which, if you've somehow managed to miss seeing it all these years, I highly suggest you remedy that right away!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Emma

Turning off the road down her private drive, Emma inhaled deeply. Her small cottage sat only a few hundred feet from a canal leading out to the bay so the scent of salt air was always present. Staring out the windshield at her house, she mentally ran through all of the things she needed to accomplish today.

Laundry was at the top of her list. The only downside to her cottage was that a washer and dryer were not included, meaning Emma needed to venture down the highway to one of the few laundromats. She had a key to the main house and the owner's children said she was always welcome to use the washer and dryer inside even if they were visiting, but she only did when no one else was around. The eldest brother, George, was currently spending the week at the house with his new girlfriend. Emma had met her last night when they arrived, her fancy car loaded with equally expensive suitcases.

With her pantry and fridge nearly bare, grocery shopping was equally as high on the list. Knowing she should complete the those two tasks first, she took another deep breath preparing herself for a few hours of her least favorite activities before climbing out of the bug and bounding up the steps to the cottage.

Once inside, the dishes in her sink and shoes piled up by the front door nagged her immediately. She wasn't one to procrastinate often, but found herself with an overwhelming desire to deep clean the cottage despite having more pressing chores to complete. She entered the kitchen grabbing her still charging phone off the counter and shot off a quick text to her boss at the restaurant saying that she would be there tomorrow. Looking at the time, she resigned herself to no more than three hours of deep cleaning before taking on her less favorite responsibilities.

Swiping her thumb across the phone, she pressed the music app and slid the volume all the way up. Not that she'd ever admit it to anyone, but Taylor Swift's 1989 album was perfect to blast and sing along to while cleaning. As Taylor crooned about classic styles Emma quickly washed and dried the dishes in the sink before moving to wipe down all of the counters. She followed it with scrubbing the sink, then she moved onto sweeping the floor, using the handle of the broom as a microphone to sing along.

By the time the last track on the album played, her living room and dining room had been straightened up and dusted, and her bathroom surfaces gleamed with a strong scent of lemon in the air. Pausing only to find some more upbeat music on her phone, she replaced the towels in the bathroom with her favorite waffle textured teal ones and switched out her gray sheets for a pristine white set. After making the bed, she gathered up all of the laundry into plastic baskets, sliding them across the wooden floor to her front door. Working backward, she mopped her way toward the front door, gathering the things she needed to take with her on the way. She tossed the laundry out onto the front step and made one final go of the mop across the foyer before shutting and locking the door behind her.

Emma was thrilled to find no one else at the laundromat. Pulling out a roll of quarters from her pocket, she quickly sorted her clothing from towels and bedding, filling up five of the washers at once.

Easing herself down into the hard plastic chair, she pulled a notepad from her bag and started on her grocery list. It was going to be an expensive trip. She had used the last of the paper towels, Lysol and Pine Sol during her cleaning spree earlier. Having waited so long to wash clothing, she depleted her supply of laundry detergent as well. Emma tapped the pen against the notepad, trying to figure out what she could eat for this week.

 _Lettuce_

 _Carrots_

 _Tomato_

 _Cucumber_

 _Green pepper_

 _Onion_

 _Canned tomatoes_

 _Pasta_

 _Cream_

 _Ground beef_

 _Chicken breast_

 _Garlic bread_

She scrawled down the list of ingredients. Emma wasn't much of a cook, but she could make a pretty decent meal of spaghetti and meatballs. She couldn't eat spaghetti and meatballs without a salad and the leftover veggies could make up a second meal, topped with a baked chicken breast. Mentally she ran through her pantry again, adding to the list.

 _Cereal_

 _Milk_

 _Bananas_

 _Bread_

 _Berries_

 _Cheese_

 _Chocolate chips_

 _Paper towels_

 _Laundry detergent_

 _Pine sol_

 _Lysol_

 _Toothpaste_

She dropped the pen on the pad. She planned to spend tomorrow morning being lazy and making a banana Nutella stuffed French toast she saw on the cooking channel last week, but now that she had to go into work, the French toast would just need to become dinner tonight. Deeming her list complete, she dropped the notepad back into her bag and pulled out a weathered paperback, fingers sliding to the dog eared page with ease.

Just as she emerged herself fully in the story, the loud buzzer of the washers sounded, indicating her items were ready to move over to the dryers. Dumping each load into the basket show made her way around washers to the row of dryers behind it, tossing each load in. Flopping down onto another uncomfortable chair, she continued to read until the buzzer of the dryers sounded. She quickly folded the items and made two trips hauling it all back out to her car. Emma briefly pondered if she should return home with her laundry before heading out to the grocery store. Her backseat was full with laundry and the trunk of the bug wasn't exactly spacious.

Checking her phone she realized it was already after two and decided to just hope for the best that her groceries could fit in the small car as well. As she expected, the grocery store was packed. During the summer the store increased their hours, opening at six in the morning and closing at midnight. Emma usually spent the entire summer shopping right after opening or right before close to avoid the summer crowds. Making her way down the crowded aisles she tossed the ingredients into the cart.

While standing in the six person deep check out line, she pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled through social media, seeing if anything interesting was going on. The Chamber of Commerce had a post reminding visitors and residents about the laws for dogs on the beach. Emma snorted at the irony of it.

Finally it was her turn to check out. She quickly placed the items onto the belt and had her debit card in hand by the time the cashier gave her the total. It wasn't quite as much as she expected but was definitely more than her usual weekly budget. "I probably shouldn't tell you this," the cashier whispered conspiratorially, "but you can get a lot of cleaning supplies and household stuff on Amazon if you have a Prime account."

Emma nodded. "I don't have one, but I've been thinking about it. Thanks for the tip."

"No problem. I couldn't convince myself it was worth it to spend that kind of money each year just for a service, but ever since I did, now I order so much stuff from there it's more than worth it. And really amazing in the summer when you can just order something and have it show up in two days instead of braving the tourist traffic to go shopping." The cashier replied, putting the last bag into the cart.

"Yeah not dealing with tourist traffic probably covers the cost. Thanks again." Emma replied with a wave to the cashier.

Arriving back home she put away the groceries and then started on her third most hated task. Hanging up clean laundry. Washing and drying it, at least when she could do it in the main house wasn't so bad, but putting it away was torture. Most weeks she put off the task so long her dirty clothes for the week ended up piled up next to the clean ones still in the basket. With a mental shake, she put away the towels and bedding first since that was the easier, then finally moved onto putting away her clothing.

Aside from the crepe and hot chocolate this morning and a quarter of a Kind bar from the grocery store sample tray, Emma hadn't ate anything else. Flipping open her laptop, she brought up the stuffed french toast recipe.

Nearly a half hour later Emma had a plate full of banana nutella stuffed french toast with a side of crispy bacon. Settling down on her couch, she turned on the television and flipped through the channels, trying to find something to catch her interest while she ate.

Four hours later the interior design show marathon had ended, leaving Emma with an odd desire to shop. When she arrived in this town almost three years ago, she brought only two suitcases and three boxes with her. Knick knacks were not included.

The cottage came furnished with what Emma assumed were cast off pieces from the main house at one point in time. The front door opened to the living room which had a couch and reclining chair, one end table and a television stand complete with television and DVD player. A half wall separated the living room from the dining room which had a four person table and chairs that Emma almost never used. A coffee pot and microwave were the only small appliances in the kitchen, but it was enough. Emma was shocked enough to have a dishwasher. To the left of the living room was a small hallway. On the left side was her bedroom, facing the front of the cottage with its own en suite bathroom. The bedroom furniture was white, not really her style, but free furniture was free furniture. On the opposite side of the hall was another bathroom and the second bedroom. She never used either of the rooms, keeping both of the doors shut.

Although furnished, the cottage didn't come with everything one needed to live there. Four sets of mismatched plates and bowls, a random assortment of cutlery (six butter knives but only two forks) and one pot, one skillet and one glass baking dish sat forgotten in the cabinets until she took over the cottage. Slowly she started to purchase additional items, taking full advantage of the outlets and sales. Now she had a pretty decently stocked kitchen, more than she ever had before.

Last winter, Jeff had given her and Rachelle generous holiday bonuses. Rachelle, who had recently visited Emma's cottage for the first time and found it lacking personality, had dragged Emma to Home Goods, and shoved her down the aisles, tossing things from practically every shelf into the cart.

Emma protested the entire time, stating she didn't really need any of these items, but Rachelle was relentless. Ninety minutes and a few hundred dollars poorer, Emma was now the proud owner of two sets of sheets, two sets of bath towels, new bedding, a shower curtain, a toothbrush holder (really, the side of the sink was just fine…), a laundry basket, two candles and a picture to hang in the bedroom.

It was an odd feeling, having more than just the necessities. She made enough money to get by and allow herself some luxuries here and there. She was no longer counting the pennies in the cupholder of the Bug wondering how far she could make it until she ran out of gas. She wasn't sneaking into hotel rooms after the occupants who paid for it checked out, just so she could shower and wash her clothing in the sink. For the first time in her life, the cottage and this quaint coastal town felt like home.

Perching her laptop (where the rest of the holiday bonus went) on the arm of the couch she typed "Amazon" into the browser and began reading about the perks of a Prime account.

Not long later she had a ton of items in her cart, all eligible for Prime shipping, but she couldn't bring herself to commit just yet, even for the trial. With a sigh, she closed the laptop and headed off to bed.

-\\-

Hot chocolate in her to-go cup, Emma backed out of her driveway and onto the road, heading toward the restaurant. She parked a couple of blocks over, not because there weren't any closer spots, but because she could finish off her hot chocolate before reaching the restaurant.

"Morning Emma!" David called as soon as she stepped inside. "Thanks so much for taking this shift. I owe ya."

"You could give me off not this coming Saturday but the next one. Then I could have a two-day weekend all to myself before the tourist come." Emma replied.

Rick nodded, typing into the computer at the hostess station. "You work every other week for Jeff, right?"

"Yeah, off today, obviously. Working next week." Emma replied.

"I can't do the one you want, but what if I give you off the second one after that? Mid-May. Two weeks before Memorial weekend." David asked.

"Really? That close to the holiday?" Emma didn't think he could spare the staff that late in the pre-season.

"Yeah, I'm starting the temporary help for the summer the first of May. They'll have two weekends under their belt." David answered.

"Then yeah, I'll take it. But you better not cut my hours and give them to the temps." Emma teased, knowing David always did everything in his power to give his year-round staff the hours they needed before scheduling for the temporary summer help.

"Don't tempt me." He teased back, typing something into the computer. "All scheduled. No changes, I promise."

"Thanks Dave." Emma replied, heading to the back to clock in and put on her apron.

The brunch shift went quickly, the bridal shower ending up being one of the easiest tables she ever waited on. Their only request was to keep the mimosas flowing, all choosing to eat from the buffet and even stacking up their dirty plates at the end of the table for Emma to quickly grab as she dropped off another tray full of the orange juice and champagne concoctions.

"Can you bring us a large trash bag, please?" One of the women, a bridesmaid Emma assumed, called out. "Kathryn is going to open gifts now."

Emma nodded, returning quickly with not just the requested trash bag, but a notepad and pen from the stockroom so someone could keep track of who bought what for the bride.

"Oh thank you, sweetie!" An older woman proclaimed. Emma assumed it was the mother of the bride. "You've been such a great server to us. Please sit down and have a slice of this pie my sister brought in while Kathryn opens her gifts."

Emma tried to decline, saying she had other tables to wait on, but the woman persisted. Finally, she gave in, sinking into a chair in the back of the room, slice of lemon cake with buttercream frosting in front of her.

She watched as the bride opened her gifts; household necessities mixed in with lingerie. When everything was finally open and the guests started to leave, Emma took away the trash bag full of discarded wrapping paper and bows and began cleaning up the room.

The older woman approached her again, two crisp hundred dollar bills in her hand. "Thank you. My daughter's shower was perfect."

Emma shook her head. "I can't take that kind of money from you. I was just doing my job. I'm glad you all had a good time."

"I insist." The older woman argued.

"Really, I can't. There was gratuity factored into the room rental." Emma explained.

The other woman frowned, stuffing one of the bills into her purse and holding out the other. "I refuse to leave you any less than this. You could easily have made this in tips in the two hours we took of your time. "

Emma finally relented and thanked the woman for the generous tip. It wasn't quite true, it was still too early in the season to make that kind of money in tips just yet.

She took the rest of the dirty dishes back to the kitchen, swiping a muffin from the pastry cart. She ate it in the break room, shoving her apron back into her small locker and pulling out her to-go cup and cell phone.

Waving to the cooks as she exited back through the kitchen, she made it out of the restaurant and down the steps before David called out to her. Turning around, she met him midway on the steps. He handed her a plain white envelope.

"What's this?" Emma asked, taking it from him.

"Bonus." David replied avoiding her eyes.

"Liar. You give end of summer bonuses not before summer bonuses." She replied, sliding her finger under the flap of the envelope to open it. She found a crisp hundred dollar bill inside. "I told her.."

"I know. She told me you refused the tip but then found me and said I absolutely had to give it to you." David explained.

"How would she even know? You could have just kept it." Emma asked.

"She was a convincing old woman. I wasn't asking questions. And I'd never take tip money from an employee!" David defended himself.

"I know! That's not what I meant. I just.." Emma trailed off.

"Just take the damn money Emma. The woman obviously thought you were an amazing server and wanted to reward you for it." David ran a hand through his hair, obviously frustrated with her.

"Fine."

"Fine." He echoed. "See ya Tuesday night."

Emma nodded, shoving the envelope into her back pocket and heading toward where she parked the bug. _I guess this is a sign to just get the damn Prime account_ she thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**I feel terrible! Sometime after posting the first chapter of this I stopped getting notifications from the website saying if there were any followers or reviews. I didn't think much of it, figuring not every CS story is every readers cup of tea and maybe I'd get more of a following once Emma and Killian were together. Except, today I realized gmail had somehow classified all of my emails from as junk mail so I wasn't getting them.**

 **I have readers! :) And reviews! And I feel simply terrible for not commenting back until now.**

 **Just some random story notes: I set a personal goal to try to reach 3,000 words per chapter, so this isn't going to follow my usual short chapter style. This is definitely a slow burn kind of relationship. I've written through chapter 7 and they _still_ aren't dating. (Emma is stubborn, what can I say.) There's not a lot I've taken from the show so I've debated on changing the character names and trying to actually publish this once the whole story is complete. (I might start looking for a beta soon) I'm estimating 20 chapters, but I don't even know how this is going to end yet, so that's definitely subject to change. **

**Final note, the story will have weekly updates, posted on Tuesdays. Bonus chapter tonight because I feel badly for not responding to anyone earlier!**

* * *

Chapter Four: Killian

Lying in bed later that night he could not stop the visions of Emma, golden blonde hair and flashing green eyes, from running through his mind. He recalled the events of the morning. At her repeatedly rejection of his offers to make Brinkley's faux paux up to her, he had nearly accepted defeat that he wouldn't get to learn more about the intriguing woman.

He did not anticipate her to finally relent and give in to a peace offering in the form of hot chocolate, but the rest of the time spent with her had proved just as unexpected. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt this connection with her, something drawing them together. He was shocked at how easily the crepe shop owner had conspired with him, convincing Emma that she needed a crepe to go along with her drink.

Her reaction to the banana stuffed confection bordered on erotic, the visual of her eyes closed and her tongue catching the drip of cinnamon sauce led his mind in a very un-gentlemanly direction, something else that he had not experienced in quite some time.

Killian knew he was attractive, he had heard it from tons of women throughout the years, but as he got older, the appeal of women throwing themselves at him became less and less of an ego boost and more of an uncomfortable annoyance. He had used his looks and charming personality for all they were worth in his early twenties, rarely finding himself alone in bed. It had continued when he and Liam first moved stateside, his accent adding to his appeal. More than once he'd received a request to read something as mundane as a telephone book.

But Liam's death had been a turning point, leaving Killian completely alone in this world and the idea of spending his nights with random women only interested in his accent and bedroom skills left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

Killian was pleased to meet Emma's friend, Ruby-err, Rachelle, as she hadn't told him he could call her by her nickname yet, instantly liking the other woman for her no-nonsense personality but was jealous her visit was to inform Emma of picking up another shift, causing her to practically run from their table as soon as Rachelle had exited the crepe shop.

In the short amount of time they had spent together, Emma had reminded him what it was like to feel again. Since Liam's death, nearly every emotion other than anger and sadness felt as though it were coming to him in a fog, muted and faint. With her it was different. He fully felt the disappointment in her denial to allow him to make it up to her, sheer delight when she finally agreed and amusement at her dislike of tourists and the way she interacted with the shop owner and her friend. She had been nearly out the door when he called out to her hastily, opting to just tell the truth that he wanted to see her again since he didn't know anyone else in the town.

He expected her to say no and somehow manage to avoid him for the rest of his time here, but the corners of her lips had turned upward and she suggested he find her, preferring that their next meeting be not like their first. For the first time in a long time, Killian Jones felt hopeful again.

Finishing off his crepe, he started to wonder just how he was going to go about finding her again, despite it being a small town when Betsy had slid into the chair Emma had recently vacated.

Her gray-green eyes scanned his face. Killian didn't know what she was looking for and had found himself unconsciously holding his breath but maintaining eye contact. Finally she nodded slightly and Killian got the impression he had passed some test. "Like I said, she's a prickly one. Walls as high as they sky too. She doesn't trust easily. Had a bad childhood, I don't really know the details but she says she has no family." Killian's eyebrow raised of its own accord in surprise that he shared that with Emma. "What?" She stopped, waiting for him to explain.

"Simply surprised is all. It appears Miss Swan and I both have the lack of family in common." He answered.

"I'm sorry." She started but he waved his hand, indicating he was willing to broach the topic.

"Thank you. I lost my brother last year. I found it too difficult to stay in that town anymore, which is how I ended up here." He found himself sharing with the older woman.

"And your parents? Tell me to mind my own business if you don't want to share." She asked with a sheepish smile.

Killian returned the smile. "Mum died before I was a teenager. My brother raised me. My father was never around. I assume he's dead as well." When he stated it like that, simple facts with no emotions behind them it was easier to explain.

Betsy nodded. "Perhaps that is why I'm telling you all this. I'm not some old lady who spends her afternoons gossiping around town. Never cared much for the subject, to be honest. When I saw you two standing together, something just told me that you'd be good for each other. I want to see Emma happy. I've told her as much myself but she doesn't listen to this old woman's words. She's quite stubborn."

Killian laughed. "I'd have to agree, considering she turned me down for dinner, lunch and coffee before finally taking pity on me and letting me know she drank hot chocolate."

Betsy grinned. "Now, that definitely sounds like Emma. I'm assuming you wouldn't be against any advice as to how to find her again?" She paused and Killian nodded. "She comes in here on Wednesday mornings around eight. A couple of nights a week she waitresses or bartenders over there," the woman gestured out the window towards a restaurant at the end of the boardwalk, facing the ocean. "at Coconut's. Her schedule varies though. She's got a day job but it'd be too convenient for you to show up there so I'll keep that one to myself."

Killian beamed at her. "My lips are sealed with your secrets within. Coconut's is a popular place, I take it? The couple I'm renting a condo from highly recommended it and asked me to say hello to the owner for them."

"Oh yes! It's probably the most popular restaurant in the area. Little fancier than some, they got a guy who plays piano every night but the food is delicious. And David, such a good boy. His parents left the restaurant to him and he's done nothing but improve it. I've known him since he was a child. Say...are you renting from Beverly?"

Killian nodded, realizing just how small this small town was. "I am."

Betsy's face lit up. "I've known Beverly and Bill for years too. Beverly and I went to school together, we had every class together from first grade right on up through senior year. Bill was an upperclassman, she met him our junior year and they were married two years after our graduation. Great kids they've got too, but they don't care for it here. Wanted to get away to the big cities where everything is available in an instant. They mentioned you actually, not by name, but said that they were going to rent out the condo this year and see if they should stay in Florida full-time. I'm not a fan of course, there aren't many friends I still have around or even living, so I'd love for them to come back. Not that I don't want you to be here…" She took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm probably overwhelming you with the musings of an old woman who just doesn't know when to shut up."

"Not the case at all." He assured her. "I'm quite interested in learning about this quaint little town you call your home."

She studied his face again. "If you're interested in some town history, I should make you another cup of coffee."

He smiled, handing back the oversized mug to the woman. It was true, he was curious to know about the town; he had always found history an interesting subject.

She returned with two mugs in her hand, a refill of coffee for him and what he believed to be peppermint tea for herself. Easing down into the chair across from him, she began. "The beginnings of the town can trace back to 1901 and it was always the intent for this to be the quieter town. Not all that shocking since it was church folk that started it. There were a bunch of issues at first, funding and whatnot so it took a long time before there was anything more than just a couple houses for the families to stay. Just the founders families were here for the longest time, we never got the railroad we were promised and back then it wasn't easily traveling up and around the mouth of the Bay to get down here. My family isn't part of the originals but we came not long after, in the mid-twenties. My parents were neighbors with a founding family and came down with the from Pennsylvania one summer. By the next year my daddy had built a house and he and mama lived here full time. Back in those days, it was real secluded. Route 1, the main highway you came in on, that was nothing but a dirt road back then."

She paused, taking a sip of her tea. "They finally got around to building the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the fifties and that's when it started to get a little busier 'round here. I was just a child when the big nor'easter hit in sixty-two, but I'll never forget the damage. Sand come inland for miles. Houses on the beach just gone. Flooding for miles. We were lucky, my daddy said he loved living near the beach but never wanted to live on it. Our house was pretty far inland and didn't get too much damage. Lotsa people left after that, didn't want to deal with the risk of the storms. But we rebuilt. Houses had to go up on stilts like they do down in the Carolinas. You see that totem pole looking thing when you came in?"

"I did, I was wondering about that." Killian replied.

"That thing brought some sparks with it. Man named Toth built it. It ain't even a totem pole but a sculpture. Some townsfolk didn't want it here, since we never had any proof of the Native Americans being here, but Toth persisted and there it stands. You ever live on the coast before?"

"I have. In Ireland and then here. My brother and I had settled in a seaside town in Connecticut."

"Storms ain't quite so bad up there in the Northeast. They can get real ugly down here sometimes and we've had our share of them throughout the years. Boardwalk has taken a real beating more than a few times and some store owners just didn't want to deal with the hassle of insurance. Necessary evil, I call it. You could never get me away from the ocean. Living here all your life, it just gets in your blood you know?"

Kilian nodded. He understood. He spent the next hour or so talking to the crepe shop owner about how much he enjoyed the water too, how he found comfort and solace in it. A few customers had strolled in during the late morning hours and Killian bid her a goodbye, not wanting to take any more of her time up when she had customers to feed.

Absently running his fingers through the fur of the canine who was to his left, Killian wondered how long he should wait before trying to seek out Emma again. With the information Betsy had provided, he knew it was better to wait than to see her right away. It wasn't worth the risk of coming on too strong and pushing her away.

With thoughts of Emma on his mind he allowed himself to slowly drift off to sleep.

-\\-

It did not take long before Killian was ready to find work and see what the town had to offer. Beverly and Bill had warned him it was tiny and that if he was in search of nightlife he'd need to drive to one of the coastal towns surrounding this one.

When he and Liam had first come to the states from Ireland, Killian had found himself playing guitar and singing at open mic nights of the various bars nearby. Eventually he was offered part time gigs and while it wasn't enough to provide for a lavish lifestyle, it helped keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

While he didn't really need to work now, the money from Liam's life insurance and the sale of the bookstore were more than enough to live a decent life on, Killian knew he was better off finding work to keep him occupied, not wanting to chance slipping back into that time where a bottle of rum was his best companion. Sometime during the many conversations he had with the condo owners prior to renting, his musical abilities had come up and Beverly immediately put him in contact with the a woman named Rita at the Chamber of Commerce, telling him they had the town's small boardwalk had a bandstand and there were performers on the weekends and major holidays.

He called Rita, inquiring about any openings and once she found out he was renting the condo from Beverly Miller, she told him he had at least one spot in the Summer Concert Series without even hearing him play. Killian argued to at least prove himself competent and Rita finally relented, scheduling for him to come in later that afternoon.

He barely got through performing the first song before Rita was waving at him to stop, her other hand furiously scrolling with the mouse of her computer. "Can I be straight with you, Killian?" Rita asked.

He nodded, wondering what the pixie sized woman with mocha eyes was going to tell him. "I'd prefer it."

"I was right to add you without even hearing you play. With those blue eyes and that accent, honey, you don't even need to be able to carry a tune. You're going to draw in a crowd with your looks alone." Rita said, appraising him.

He felt himself flush under the older woman's eyes. Unconsciously his hand found its way to the back of his ear, fingers scratching nervously. "Er, uh…"

Rita snorted. "Honey, don't go thinking I'm hitting on you, I'm old enough to be your mother. I'm just saying, you're quite the looker and it's just a real good bonus for us that you can sing and play guitar too. I'm gonna put you on the schedule for two Friday evenings, one in June and one in July. I know it ain't much, but we can also put you on standby in case another performer needs to cancel. And here's a list of bars that have open mic nights or are looking for musicians. You play any other instruments?" She said, pushing a sheet of paper across her cluttered desk toward him.

Killian nodded. "I can play the piano and I'm decent on the drums."

The woman nodded, scribbling that down onto an orange sticky note before pulling open a desk drawer and removing a packet of papers. She circled two dates on the top page and handed it to him. "First page is the calendar. Your nights are highlighted. I'll mail you a copy with your name listed on it once we get everything finalized. Next page is parking information and a list of contacts as well. Leroy sets up the speakers and mics and whatnot but if you want to bring your own stuff you can do that too. You just gotta call him first." She paused, taking a sip from the mug on her desk.

"Then we got the rules. Can't have songs with too much profanity or that are too sexual. We pride ourselves on being the family resort, ya understand? No alcohol on the bandstand, no drinking before either. Well, a shot or something to calm your nerves is alright if you've got bitten by the stage fright bug, but not where anyone can see. Tips are optional. You can't be sitting up there begging for your guitar case to be filled, but we don't prohibit our visitors from tipping the performers if they see it fit. Fill out that last page, it's all the contact info we need from you. Got all that, honey?"

Killian flipped through the packet for a moment before looking back up at Rita. "Yes. Do you need me to fill this out now or..?"

"Whatever is easier for you, honey. Our address is down at the bottom of the last page if you wanna mail your paperwork back in, or just drop by during the week between 9 and 4 and see me. Or ask Marsha out front to leave it on my desk if I'm not here. Just need it from you no later than May 15th." Rita replied.

Killian stood, extending his arm to the woman. "Thanks for your time. I appreciate this. I'll get this paperwork back to you shortly."

"Lookin' forward to it." The woman replied with a smile, shaking his hand. "See you next week, honey. And you come in and let me know if there's anything you need to get situated in town. I've been here my whole life."

Killian nodded. "Perhaps I will. Thank you for the offer."

Arriving back at his truck, Killian sat inside for a moment, allowing all of the information the woman had thrown at him to process in his head. The list of other bars and restaurants offering open mic nights was at the top and he found his eyes glazing over the list of names. Only two restaurants in town offered it, one being Coconut's and the other not too far away. Most of the locations were in Dewey, reminding Killian that Bill had told him it was the closest town for the younger crowd, wanting to let loose in the bars. The list was extensive, ranging as far north as Rehoboth and as far south as Ocean City, Maryland. Killian realized he could find more than enough places to play, possibly eliminating the need to find a more steady job during the season.

During the next few days, he visited some of the bars and restaurants on the list Rita had provided him, finding himself added into their schedule quite easily. He hadn't wrote his own music in ages, finding it easier to please the crowds when he covered well-known songs instead, but found himself jotting down lyrics from time to time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay. My season 4 DVD showed up and I got sidetracked with commentaries, deleted scenes and blooper reels. I might have went a little overboard in describing some of the scenes here, but I really wanted to capture that essence of a tourist town. So far, it's been my favorite chapter to write. And again, thank you so much for all of the reviews, favorites and follows! I love reading the reviews and getting the notifications that others are reading this.**

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Chapter 5: Emma

"Thank you for calling Mad Hatter Auto, can you please hold?" Emma said for what felt like the hundredth time in less than thirty minutes.

The phones had been so dead in the morning that she and Ruby actually followed their phone cords from their jack in the back of the telephone to the wall to ensure they were plugged in and they called each line from their cell phones to make sure they were working. Not one call other than their test ones came in for nearly four hours so Emma had told Ruby to go to lunch.

Usually one of the salespeople would assist with covering the phones when either Emma or Ruby took a lunch, but it seemed everyone thought the day was dead for sales and had snuck out of the building for their own lunch. Only ten minutes had passed after Ruby left before the first call came through. Emma had barely gotten her standard greeting out to the customer when the next line rang, followed by the third and fourth.

She had been juggling them all, rotating through to put everyone on hold and then returning to the first caller. She worked her way through in that fashion, answering, putting on hold and assisting as the calls continued to call in.

"Thank you for holding...yes Mr. Wallace, your car is ready to be picked up. The oil change and tire rotation went fine...we close at three." Her eyes darted to the black and white clock across the room. The second hand seemed to slow down even further as she noted it was only five minutes past one.

"We usually recommend customers to Will's Wash and Shine. His detailing rates are very affordable."

"No, the owner is not available. Can you please remove us from your calling list? ...Because we're an auto shop, we really don't have any need for the Fluffy Kitties monthly magazine...yeah well, maybe our customers are illiterate...No I don't care if there are pictures. We're not interested, just remove us!" Emma jabbed the disconnect button from her headset. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as it would have been to drop the phone receiver back onto the cradle, but she supposed it would just have to do, seeing as hardly anyone had landlines anymore.

"Fluffy Kitties monthly magazine?" Ruby said with a snort, dropping off a to-go bag on Emma's desk.

"Don't ask. And don't ever leave me again for lunch. Where the hell is everyone? The phones were ringing off the hook the entire time you were gone." Emma said, dropping her head onto the desk.

"Seriously? Joe and Mike were supposed to be here. But hey, look in the bag. I brought you a grilled cheese!" Ruby replied with a grin.

Emma sniffed. The scent of melted butter and cheese invaded her nostrils, followed by the slightly pungent scent of onion rings. "AND onion rings? God, I love you." She said, digging into the bag.

"Hey now. Watch it or Victor will get jealous." Ruby laughed.

The phone rang only a few more times in their remaining two hours of work. As she shut down her computer and straightened up her desk to go home for the night, Emma glared at the black telephone unit, giving it the evil eye for remaining practically silent once she was no longer alone in the office.

"Hey did you wanna go out tonight?" Ruby asked. "Victor has to study and I don't feel like sitting at home."

Emma paused before replying. She didn't have any plans for the evening but Ruby usually liked to get dressed up and go hang out at the bars in Dewey. Even in the off season, there was a decent crowd on the weekends. But that involved wearing heels, putting on a ton of make-up and buying herself overpriced drinks. "I don't know Ruby, I'm kind of tired."

"You do know that you're twenty-eight not ninety-eight, right?" Ruby deadpanned. "But I wasn't talking about drinking, well, not just drinking. I kinda wanted to go waste some quarters at the arcade on the boardwalk."

"The one in OC?" Emma asked. OC, or Ocean City, was the large oceanfront town in Maryland, about a fifty minute drive when there wasn't any traffic. The boardwalk was huge, going on for three miles. At the inlet end, there was a large parking lot for daily visitors and a long fishing pier. Amusement rides were on both sides of the boardwalk, roller coasters and spinning rides and now even extreme ones, like a cage that was shot straight up into the air, bouncing and flipping before making its way back down to the ground. Various arcades, shops and restaurants lined nearly half its length before giving way to entrances for the hotels. Past the excitement of the boardwalk, mainly hotels and restaurants lined every block, stretching on for over a hundred streets. The town was widely well known and full of nearly as much history as the one both women called home.

"Yeah we haven't been there in forever and I know you're not going to want to go once the tourists show up." Ruby answered.

She was right, Emma tried to avoid going into the town during the summer. The first flock of tourists came with the Memorial day holiday, people desperate to celebrate the unofficial start to the summer season. The month of June had been dedicated to high school seniors, who flocked to the beach after graduation and generally made a mess of things. Ruby had told her it wasn't like that years ago, the kids were more respectful and if they were spending their nights getting drunk, they weren't out doing it in public.

The end of June included a week for firefighters, which Emma had to admit, at least provided incredible amounts of eye candy. By the time the recent graduates and firefighters vacated the town, it was the Fourth of July holiday, bringing in massive crowds who sat shoulder to shoulder on the beach awaiting the fireworks display. July and August were the peak seasons for the town, same as theirs, and then Labor Day weekend rounded up the season. For a few weeks after, families without kids or children too young to be in school still came to visit, enjoying the less crowded beaches and restaurants. And then, by October, it was nearly empty. School was back in session, the weather had begun to turn cooler and even the weekenders, those people who would come down late Friday nights and go home late on Sunday evenings, stopped visiting as well, pushing the beach to the back of their mind and instead thinking of apples and changing leaves on trees.

"Yeah...I guess I can go." Emma finally replied.

"Awesome. I'll pick you up at six?" Ruby asked.

Emma nodded. "Sounds good."

Three hours later Emma found herself sitting in the passenger seat of Ruby's car, windows down and the radio blaring as they made their way down the coast to the resort town of Ocean City. It wasn't quite warm enough for the windows to be down as far as they were, but Emma didn't complain. The winds were coming in off the ocean and Emma could never refuse the scent of fresh salt air. For the first sixty or so streets heading into the town, the hotels flanking either side of the main drag were dark. As they got closer to the main area, it became more light up with restaurants, shops and the glowing red Vacancy indication on the hotel signs. About twenty streets from the inlet, the town appear to come to life. It wasn't crowded by any means, but groups of people were walking down the sidewalks heading into the restaurants and bars.

Ruby pulled into the parking lot at the inlet, pulling into a spot as close to the boardwalk as she could find. Emma got out of the car and paused for a minute, taking in the sights around her. The ocean to her right, the boardwalk to her left and one set of amusement rides in front of her. Even though they weren't running, the lights of some rides were on, twinkling to her in the distance. As a kid, she would have loved this place. Being able to run up and down the well-worn wooden planks of the boardwalk and onto the soft sand, running right up to the edge to let the ocean water slip over her toes. Even in the off season, there was a sense of magic to this place, any boardwalk really, especially at night. A large ceramic ice cream cone swirled in the air, marking the soft serve shop. The arcade lights flickered and flashed, the loud noises of the games drawing her in. With another deep breath of salty air, she finally shook herself from her daydreams, finding Ruby patiently waiting for her on the other side of the car.

Reaching the arcade, the two parted ways. Ruby loved the newer games, fighting zombies or rocking out on a guitar, but Emma preferred the old school games that had given arcades their starts. Slipping a five into the change machine, she waited for it to dispense a handful of quarters. Passing the flashing lights of shooting games, Emma made her way to the back corner of the arcade and dropped her purse in front of the skeeball boards. Her fingers slid over the worn wood that hadn't seen a paint job likely since before she was born, before dropping the quarters into the coin slot. The wooden balls clacked together as they roll down the ramp and into the waiting area. She stood up straighter, her shoulders going back as she rolled the wooden ball around in her hand, remembering its weight. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the painted plastic cups indicating the point values.

Her arm swung forward a few times, lining up the ball right where she wanted it to go. She took half a step to the right and tried again. Rolling her neck to the left and right to release any tension, she took a deep breath and brought her arm back, releasing the wooden ball up the ramp as her arm followed through on the swinging motion. The ball went straight up the ramp, bouncing over the lip and landing squarely in the marker for 30 points. Emma grabbed the next ball, wiggling her shoulders to loosen them before sending the next ball sailing up the ramp, earning her 40 points. The next two balls awarded her an additional 40 points each. Focusing harder, the next three landed in the ring for 50 points. She never tried for the 100-point rings off to the side until after her warm up round. The last two balls awarded her an additional 60 points, bringing her warm up score to 360. It wasn't bad for a warm up, considering she hadn't played in quite some time.

Adding more quarters, her second round proved to be much better, getting the ball into the 50-point ring six out of nine times. Finally feeling like she was successfully warmed up, she started her third game and tried for the 100-point ring. She missed twice, glaring at the ball as it slid down and into the hole for only ten points, but on her third try, her wrist twisted just right causing the ball to slide up the right side of the lane with easy and fall solidly into the 100-point hole. She continued to play until she was out of quarters, nearly breaking her previous best record of 710 points. Grabbing the handful of tickets that had come from the machine, she folded them back and forth and she wandered around the arcade looking for Ruby.

She found her sitting in the shell of a car, one hand on the plastic steering wheel weaving in and out of hoards of zombies and the other hand holding her cell phone to her ear. "Yeah I'm at the arcade in OC with Emma-damn it, fucking zombie-" her foot slammed down onto the plastic pedal bringing the car to a stop as a zombie on the screen was advancing on her. "Gotta go babe, you're making me lose the game. Loveyoubye." The phone dropped into the opposite seat, her free hand shifting to the plastic gearshift as she slammed it into reverse, taking out a dozen or so of the infected beings trying to get to her. A minute or so later, the screen showing her car swerving in between houses and down sidewalks, the game ended, announcing Ruby the new high score player.

"Why exactly do I get in vehicles with you?" Emma joked, coming up next to her friend.

"Because you know that if we really were trying to escape zombies I would easily get us out of the situation and take down a fuckload of them in process." Ruby replied haughtily.

"Touche. You hungry yet? The smell of Thrasher's is making my mouth water."

Thrasher's was a local icon, a well-known name. They only sold french fries, the best french fries, and could easily draw a line of a hundred people or more in the middle of the summer. The fries were served with an optional small plastic cup of apple cider vinegar. Emma had balked at the combination initially until she tried one and then had immediately become hooked.

"Yeah, let's go get your french fry fix." Ruby said, hopping out of the seat and tossing her pile of tickets into her purse.

She could never wait for the fries to cool down, always biting into one and burning her tongue as the soft potato within its crispy fried shell exploded with flavor in her mouth. She blew out a few times, trying to cool down the french fry sitting on her tongue. "Damn it."

Ruby laughed. "Seriously? You do that every time. It's like you're a kid who can't wait to open up Christmas presents or something."

Emma offered a small smile. She had never entirely filled her friend in on her less than pleasant childhood where Christmas presents were something she saw in movies more than she ever received in real life. "They're really good! I can't help it."

Ruby rolled her eyes good naturedly. "You wanna walk the boardwalk a bit? There's a decent amount of stores open."

Emma nodded, gesturing with a fry for Ruby to start down the boardwalk toward the numbered streets. The first seven streets of the boardwalk were named before they transferred over to the numbered variety. She waited outside as Ruby stopped into a few stores, looking to see what new clothing they had for this season.

It made Emma feel old, not quite understanding where the quotes and designs came from, but once they showed up in one boardwalk shop, they were screen printed/stitched or painted over every available surface in every shop from Ocean City to Rehoboth, patiently waiting for the teenagers and younger kids to snatch them all up.

They made it as far as Talbot Street before Ruby turned back to look at Emma with puppy dog eyes. Emma knew what that look meant. There was a bar ahead. She sighed, finding herself heading over to a trash can to throw away her empty bucket of fries and pulling a napkin from her jeans to wipe the grease from her fingers before being led back across the boardwalk and into the dimly lit bar.

Ruby ordered them two locally brewed beers as they slid onto the barstools. A large stage sat to their right, speakers and mics already in place although the large event calendar on the wall didn't list the first band until the second week in May.

After her second beer Emma yawned and Ruby finally got the hint. It wasn't as though she wasn't having fun, the party was pretty empty so the bartender was attentive making sure everyone had drinks and snacks. The company wasn't bad, there weren't drunk men trying to hit on her, just locals gathered in groups talking amongst each other. She was just tired and wanted to go to bed early that night since she had the breakfast shift at Coconut's the next morning. "Okay, okay, we can go." Ruby said tossing a twenty on the bar.

Emma though the fresh air on the way home would wake her up, but it only proved to do the opposite. By the time Ruby pulled into her driveway Emma felt half asleep. "You working tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yeah I come in at two. You?" Ruby replied.

"Nine to four. I'll see ya tomorrow then." Emma replied, heading into her cottage.

She barely managed to take out her contacts and kick off her shoes before flopping face first onto her bed.

Her shift at the restaurant the next morning started off quiet enough. She served breakfast to mainly locals, recognizing most of their faces. It wasn't until she was about to clock out that she heard David groan. Turning, she found him with his head tilted sideways holding the phone against his shoulder with his other hand pressing into his forehead.

"Alright, thanks for letting me know. Yeah, bye." He said sullenly.

"Everything alright?" Emma asked.

"Grant broke his wrist and Jay's going out of town next week. I have no piano player for next weekend." David answered with a sigh, fingers coming up to squeeze the skin at the bridge of his nose.

"Oh shit." Emma replied.

"Yep."

"I hope you can find someone." Emma replied, sliding the paper card into the time clock to punch out.

"I'll think of something. Have a good night, Emma." David replied, heading into his office.

Emma drove away from the main drag of town, heading toward the grocery store. She realized this morning while making her hot chocolate that she was nearly out of cinnamon. She walked quickly into the store and headed for the spice aisle. Turning the corner too quickly, she didn't see the person in front of her and collided directly into a solid mass. "Ooof."

 _That's a nice cologne scent_ was the first thought that processed through Emma's mind as she started to step back from the man she had collided into, who was at least a head taller than her she noted, realizing her face had crashed into his collarbone. Hands were gripping her biceps, likely intended to brace her collision.

"You alright there, love?" The man asked and Emma sighed audibly, unable to understand why fate, karma, and that whole lot hated her so much. _What was the likelihood she crashed into some other Irish accented man?_ She took a tentative step back and the fingers that had curled around her arms dropped to his side. She immediately felt the loss of warmth they provided, which was ridiculous because she wasn't even cold. With a grimace on her face, she slowly raised her chin upward to meet his face.

"I'm fine." She muttered.

His eyes widen in recognition of her but he didn't speak. Instead the corners of his mouth twitched a few times before he was no longer able to hold it in, a wide smile breaking across his face, hearty laugh falling from his lips. "Why hello there, Miss Swan. Perhaps it was I that should have made you promise that our next encounter would not involve any collisions."

Emma frowned waiting for him to stop laughing. "Shut up, Jones."

He managed to stop laughing but was unable, or unwilling, to remove the smirk from his face. "Apologies, lass. Sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine. You?" She asked.

"Quite well love. Even better now that you've graced my presence." He flirted easily.

Emma shook her head slightly. "Right. Okay well I'm just going to get what I came for and get out of here then."

She turned to head down the aisle, but his fingers came out to gently rest on her arm, drawing her back toward him. "And what was that?" Usually she hated when strangers touched her but was shocked to find herself not wanting to brush off his touch.

"Just some cinnamon."

"Ah, for your hot chocolate, I presume. Perhaps you could show me which ingredients you use to make it. I'd like to try some." He replied and that was how Emma found herself walking not just down the spice aisle but to the baking aisle and the dairy section to show Killian which chocolate and milk she used to make her favorite drink.

He followed her up to the registers, getting in line behind her. Receipt in her hand and ready to leave, he called out to her. "I don't suppose you could repay me for crashing into me by showing me how to make your hot chocolate drink?"

Emma rolled her eyes but was unable to stop herself from smiling back at him. "Not this time, Jones. Have a good night."

"Until we meet again Miss Swan." He replied with a wave.


	6. Chapter 6

**Eek! I have been so busy lately I haven't had time to write and here I am posting chapter 6 already. I have 7 completed, but less than 100 words of chapter 8. I really need to get a move on!**

 **Thank you again for all the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate it.**

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Chapter 6: Killian

The jingling tune in his pocket startled him momentarily. Aside from the Millers and his lawyer, he hadn't spoken with anyone on the phone in quite some time. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he noticed the area code was the same one listed on the bottom of his paperwork from Rita. Someone local was calling him. "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Killian Jones?" A male voice asked.

"It is." Killian replied, dragging out the last word in a questioning manner.

"Great. This is David Nolan. I own Coconut's, the bar on the boardwalk. Rita gave me your number, I hope that's alright."

"It is. What can I do for you, David?" Killian asked.

"Rita mentioned you played piano. My regular, Grant, just broke his wrist. He was trying to skateboard with his son, fell and landed on his wrist. Jay's my back-up and he can play Monday through Friday but then he's going out of town to visit some family. I know you've never met me and this is short notice, but is there anyway you could play this upcoming weekend?"

Killian blinked, stunned. He never expected to receive so many offers for his musical abilities so soon after arriving in the small town. "I...what does Grant usually play?"

David laughed. "Honestly? Anything we can find sheet music for. As long as there is noise, the customers are happy."

"That sounds easy enough. Perhaps I could come in to meet you?" Killian asked.

"Sure thing. I'm turning over to the assistant manager tonight at six. Would that work for you?" David asked.

"It does. I'll see you then." Killian replied.

Shocked, he looked over at Brinkley who was lying on the couch, ears perked in Killian's direction. "It appears the need for musical talents is quite high here." He said to the dog who offered him a raised eyebrow in response. "I think we should celebrate. How about some surf and turf for dinner? Well turf for you and both for me."

Brinkley rolled over exposing his furry stomach. "I'll take that as a yes. Come on, let's take you out before I head to the store."

The dog whined when Killian put him back inside and picked up his keys. "You can't come in the grocery store, you know that." He replied to his dog who made a distinct harrumphing noise before flopping back down on the sofa.

Killian steered his cart over to the meat department first, selecting a large porterhouse steak. In the seafood section he found prepared, but not cooked, crab cakes and decided to take the easy way out with those. Circling back toward produce he added a bunch of asparagus to his cart, followed by sliced mushrooms. He added a bottle of marsala wine and swung through the dairy section for some butter. Realizing he had nothing to marinate the steaks with, he turned down the spice aisle and grabbed garlic powder and onion powder. He turned, intending to toss them into his cart when a mass of blonde hair crashed into his chest. His arms immediately went out, grasping the woman's biceps to keep her steady. She left out a huff of air, whether in shock or exasperation he wasn't sure, but he felt her breath graze over his collarbone.

"You alright there, love?" He asked, leaning back to tilt his head down to look at the woman.

He heard an audible sigh first, one sounding incredibly familiar, before the woman stepped back and slowly raised her eyes to meet his. "I'm fine."

His eyes widened in amusement, mouth gaping slightly before he forced his lips together. It didn't last long before the corners of his mouth were twitching and a hearty laugh fell from his lips. It was none other than Emma Swan who had crashed into him. He silently thanked the grocery gods for their gift. "Why hello there, Miss Swan. Perhaps it was I that should have made you promise that our next encounter would not involve any collisions." He laughed again.

She frowned, looking at him in feigned annoyance until he was able to keep his laughter under control. "Shut up, Jones."

Her lack of a more biting retort surprised him. Perhaps she had been as caught off guard by their second meeting as he. "Apologies, lass. Sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine. You?" She asked and a million inappropriate innuendos flooded his mind. Not wanting to come on too strong, he took the conversational approach. '"Quite well love. Even better now that you've graced my presence." He smirked, not needing to verbalize that it was actually her lack of grace that started their encounter.

She studied him for a minute before shaking her head. "Right. Okay well I'm just going to get what I came for and get out of here then."

Without meaning to his fingers shot forward, resting on her forearm. He didn't want to cut their encounter so short and it was the first thing he thought to do to keep her engaged. "And what was that?" He inquired.

He watched as her eyes drifted down to his fingertips still resting on her forearm, looking at them in surprise almost as though she was contemplating how they were still intact after touching her. "Just some cinnamon." She replied finally.

Killian acknowledged the small opening he had afforded himself. "Ah, for your hot chocolate, I presume. Perhaps you could show me which ingredients you use to make it. I'd like to try some."

She raised her eyes to his again, holding eye contact for a few seconds as though she was trying to read his thoughts. "Fine, come on." She relented and walked with him through the store picking up the ingredients that he would need to make hot chocolate.

He followed her to the registers, now having more than he needed for a simple celebratory meal. She was about to exit the store when a thought crossed his mind. "I don't suppose you could repay me for crashing into me by showing me how to make your hot chocolate drink?" He called out to her.

"Not this time, Jones. Have a good night." She replied with a roll of her eyes.

He hadn't quite expected it to work but you couldn't blame a man for trying.

Heading home Killian realized he would need to delay his celebratory dinner until after meeting with David if he wanted to make it to the restaurant on in time. He unloaded the groceries quickly and placed the steak in a bag to marinate. Grabbing a bottle of water and a granola bar, he exited the condo. Reaching his truck, he paused before unlocking the door. Even though David was listening to him play piano, surely it wouldn't hurt to bring along his guitar as well in case the opportunity to play arose. He jogged back to the front door of the condo and grabbed his guitar from its resting place in the living room. "Really leaving this time." He told Brinkley. "Wish me luck?"

"Woof!"

"Don't even think about learning to open the fridge and eating that steak." He threatened good-naturedly.

"Woof."

If dogs could inflect sarcasm into their barks he supposedly Brinkley was the master.

He snagged a parking spot directly in front of the restaurant, gladly noting he didn't need to pay to park there yet. Opening the door of the restaurant, he took in the well lit atmosphere, large windows overlooked the ocean. He headed over to the hostess stand intent to ask for David but was stopped halfway there by a man of his height with light brown hair. "Killian?" The man asked.

Killian immediately extended his hand to shake the other man's. "Yes. David I assume?"

David nodded, pumping his arm up and down. "Thanks for coming on such short notice. Have you been here yet?"

"I have not." Killian replied.

David nodded. "This is one of our two main dining rooms. The piano is situated between the two rooms so guests in either room can hear. We also have two outdoor decks and during the season we have live music there as well. We alternate nights with the Chamber of Commerce."

Killian nodded, following the man the length of the first dining room, stopping at the piano. "I have another piano in the employee area if you'd prefer not to play in front of guests get." David continued. "Grant usually plays from seven to nine and then we switch to the outdoor music."

Killian looked around the rooms. Both were less than half full. He didn't see any reason why he couldn't perform right here. "Here's fine." He said, sitting down at the piano and reading over the sheet music.

He began to play, fingers effortlessly flying over the keys. Without intending to, he began to hum the lyrics of the song. When the song came to an end, he turned to David who was staring at him with raised eyebrows. "Why are you not famous?"

Killian snorted. "Not interested."

The other man shook his head, giving Killian a strange look as though he didn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to be famous. "Well it's obvious you're more than qualified for the job. If you want it, it's yours. I'm afraid it doesn't pay what you're used to. Seventy five dollars a night is what we pay in the off season."

Killian had to stop himself from laughing. There were nights he played in exchange for getting another night on stage or a cheeseburger and fries. "Seventy five is fair, I assure you."

"Did you want to see the outside music area? If you play guitar anything like you play piano, I'd love to have you play for us one night." David asked.

"Of course. Lead the way." Killian responded, following the man outside.

Killian hopped up on the outdoor stage, taking a seat in a wicker chair with a microphone in front of it. "What would you like to hear?"

"Surprise me." David replied, sitting down at one of the tables in front of the stage.

Killian decided to go with an INXS song. Halfway through the song his eyes closed, getting lost in the music. Opening his eyes at the end of the song he found David standing up, eyebrows trying to recede into his hairline. "You're crazy for not getting picked up by a record label, but to each their own. I need to go through the schedule and see where I can fit you in but please tell me you'll play for us."

Killian flushed. He supposed he would never get used to people looking at him in awe after playing or singing. He had heard it enough that maybe he could almost picture a rockstar life but he has no interest in being in the public eye or dealing with paparazzi. "Sure mate, as long as I'm free."

Killian hopped off the stage shaking the other man's hand again before following him back through the restaurant, listening as David told him about the current music line up.

"So I'll call you as soon as I have the dates we'd like you to play." David said.

"Looking forward to it. Thanks for the opportunity." Killian replied.

Returning home, Killian set out to make the dinner he had purchased earlier. He pre-heated the oven and placed a heavy cast iron skillet onto the stove. He placed the crab cake on a baking sheet, ready to go into the oven as soon as it was ready. Adding another skillet to the stove, he placed a tablespoon of butter in it and allowed it to melt. The mushrooms and asparagus went into that skillet, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. He added butter to the cast iron skillet and then the steak, allowing it to form a crust on one side. Once the steak had developed a sear on both sides, he popped it, along with the crab cake into the oven to finish cooking.

He wasn't a big fan of cooking, finding it tedious when cooking just for one, but years ago he and Liam had taken cooking classes to learn the basics. They both found it so enjoyable they took the following intermediary class. Killian believed even if he hadn't taken those classes, one should always know how to properly cook a steak.

Removing the steak from the oven he allowed it to rest while he continued the rest of the meal. When the vegetables were soft enough, Killian poured in the marsala wine and a cornstarch slurry to allow the mixture to thicken. Finally everything was done.

He sliced the steak from around the bone, leaving more than a fair share for Brinkley and called the dog over. Taking his plate to the table, Killian sat down to enjoy the meal he had made. Surf and turf was definitely the right choice, he quickly decided.

Kilian found himself spending early mornings at the beach with Brinkley wondering if he would run into Emma again, but the cool sand was mostly deserted each morning, occasionally marred by the tread of running shoes. Though the water was barely above freezing, Brinkley wasn't deterred from splashing through the waves as they crashed along the shore. Killian found himself wondering if the water would still be warm enough once the dog restriction was lifted for the summer to join Brinkley in chasing the red frisbee into the waves.

In the solitude of the beach he found himself talking to Liam in his head, something he thought he had given up three months after his brother's passing. _Liam, you'd love it here. It's rather similar to where we lived in Connecticut. The music opportunities in the local bars and restaurants are amazing. I wish you were here to sing with me. We'd make quite the duo. We always did._

 _Meet anyone yet?_ His brother would ask with a gleam in his eye.

 _Bloody hell brother, no I have not. Well, not really. There is this one lass, Emma. Brinkley knocked the wind out of her on the beach. She allowed me to purchase her a hot chocolate by way of apology and I've run into her at the market. I found out she doesn't have any family left either. There's something about her that drew me in from the beginning but I haven't been able to place it._

Liam would roll his eyes. _Don't go playing the knight in shining armor Killian._

Killian huffed. _No one said anything about knights or armor. Or white horses for that matter. I'm attracted to her brother! And not just physically although she is quite beautiful. I was intrigued with her the moment I saw her. I simply want to learn everything there is to know about her._

Liam's eyebrows would shoot up in surprise. _First time for everything,_ he'd tease Killian. _I suppose even my little brother would have to grow up and want more than just a bedmate sometime._

 _I told you I haven't brought a woman to bed since you...since you…_ Even in his head Killian found it nearly impossible to complete his sentence.

The image of Liam in his mind frowned before offering Killian a sad smile. _My apologies brother. I was just teasing you._

A loud screech from a seagull overhead snapped Killian back into the present, the image of Liam fading away into the back of his mind. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. These conversations with his brother, even if Killian was the one to initiate them, always left him feeling drained and as though no time at all had passed, as if the emotions were just as raw as the day of Liam's death.

He focused on the scene in front of him, matching his breathing to the rhythmic push and pull of the waves crashing onto the shore. Brinkley, tired of playing by himself and sensing the change in emotion, came over to his master, dropping his furry head into Killian's lap.

Killian took a deep breath. "Come on, Brinkley. Let's go home."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the delay in updating, I hadn't been able to log in here all day yesterday or this morning. This was definitely one of my favorite chapters to write. I hope you enjoy it!**

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Chapter 7: Emma

The rain came in from out of no where. Light blue skies with fluffy white clouds gave way to dark gray storm clouds, sheets of rain falling down as the wind whipped through the trees, shaking free the loose leaves and branches.

It didn't take long before Emma's small front yard was flooded, the gravel from her driveway washing into the yard and every dip and divot in the yard became an ankle deep wading pool. Moments later, her phone beeped, alerting them of a severe thunderstorm warning with localized flooding in effect for the next three hours.

"Well love, I should go." Killian said, coming up behind her to gaze at the water-logged yard.

Emma snorted but hesitated. Had he not talked her into stopping for ice cream and just dropped her off like he was supposed to, he'd likely be home by now and they'd each be in their respective homes weathering out the storm alone. Instead, Ruby had pawned her off on him.

Emma's bug was currently out of commission. Jeff promised it would be fixed the day after tomorrow. Emma had hitched a ride to work with Ruby and it was planned for the other woman to drop her off at home at the end of her shift. But Killian just so happened to use Jeff's shop (something she found rather curious and planned to talk to Ruby about once they were alone) and whatever work on his truck just so happened to be completed right at the end of Emma's shift. Ruby had taken one look at the hopeful expression on Killian's face when he saw Emma and came up with a litany of excuses as to why she could now not take Emma home. Of course, Killian immediately offered.

Emma had declined but persistence from both Ruby and Killian proved to be too much. Which was how she had found herself climbing up into the old brown truck next to his dog. "Brinkley, get in the back." Killian had demanded immediately, getting an impressive set of puppy dog eyes from the canine.

"He can stay up here." Emma had said. She wasn't a big fan of dogs, having more than a few encounters in her childhood with the less than friendly variety, but he had appeared to be pretty calm just lifting his head and glancing over at Emma with little interest when she opened the passenger side door.

"Aww, Miss Swan is Brinkley finally winning you over with his canine charms?" Killian had asked, causing Emma to roll her eyes at him.

"I see you haven't justified that with a response. You see, I have made a promise to Brinkley if he was good in accompanying me on errands today we would stop for ice cream on the way back. Seeing as you are now with us, perhaps I could convince you to join us as well."

Emma had fiddled with her phone in her hands, not wanting to look at him. She knew he was sporting the same puppy dog eyes as his canine counterpart. It wasn't as though she had anything pressing to do at home, but the idea of spending time with Mr. Innuendo and his dog wasn't exactly her idea of a good time. Killian had the ability to make Emma feel both relaxed and entirely on guard at the same time.

In the end she had relented with a shrug of her shoulders. "They better have Rocky Road."

She had learned that Killian had interesting (read:weird) taste in ice cream when he ordered a double scoop, one pistachio and the other rum raisin. (Brinkley had butter pecan.) They had sat outside on the picnic benches eating their ice cream. Killian kept the conversation light, asking Emma about her day at work.

When he had pulled up in front of her cottage, he had shocked her by walking her up to her door. The moment they had stepped onto her front porch and she had stuck her key into the lock, the weather had made a drastic change. Brinkley, who had rode in the back of the truck after stopping for ice cream, hopped out and ran to Killian's side just as first spatterings of rain began to fall from the sky.

Her front porch was too small for the three of them to stand there comfortably and be sheltered from the rain so Emma had reluctantly opened her front door, ushering them both inside. She immediately went to grab a spare towel for Brinkley, the only one of the three who had gotten wet.

Thunder boomed followed by a bright zigzag of lightning. Brinkley whimpered, turning his face into his master's leg. "Not a fan of the storms, this one." Killian had explained and Emma felt a sudden surge of empathy for the dog. She wasn't really a fan of storms herself.

Chewing on her thumbnail she looked back and forth between Killian and the storm outside. "It floods really badly around here. It's really low-lying. You might not even make it back to Route One."

"I have a truck." Killian countered.

Emma tilted her head, considering. He did have a truck but that didn't mean everyone else on the road was driving a vehicle high enough to get through the likely flooded roads. He could easily get stuck behind a line of cars unable to make it through the standing water. It wasn't as though she wanted to keep Killian and Brinkley there with her in the cottage, but it felt cruel and heartless to send the man outside into the rain, especially with a dog afraid of thunderstorms. The change of heart she was experiencing toward both of them made her uncomfortable. She wanted to run, to hide, but there was no where she could go in this weather, especially on foot and hiding in her bedroom was too childish, even for Emma.

"Just because you do doesn't mean everyone else does. The roads flood out really easily back here. Even trucks have a hard time getting through. Are you really going to convince him to go back out there?" Emma pointed at Brinkley who was sitting on Killian's feet.

Killian looked down at his dog, who would have easily been on his lap if her were in the sitting position. "Ah, Swan you're likely right. He is a bit of a coward." Killian was interrupted by a low growl from his dog. "But we don't wish to trespass on your personal space, we can wait out the storm in my truck."

Emma brought up the weather app on her phone, showing him how long the storms were expected to stick around. "I'm not Martha Stewart or anything, but even I know it's pretty rude to leave people sitting in their cars. It's fine if you're here. Really." She tried to force as much sincerity into the last word as possible.

Killian studied her for a long moment, obviously aware of how uncomfortable it made her to have them both in her presence. "Thank you for your hospitality. We'll be out of your hair as soon as the storm lets up." He replied sincerely.

Emma nodded, wondering how they could occupy their time. She had brief moment where Ruby's earlier words invaded her brain. " _Good God Emma_ ," her friend had said. " _Are you blind or something? How can you look at that man and not want to immediately drag that blue eyed scruff to the nearest dark corner and have your way with him?_ "

"You alright there Swan? You look a bit flushed." Killian asked with a smirk, as though he was reading her thoughts.

It only caused her to blush further. "Fine. I'm fine. Do you want something to drink? I have water, tea, Pepsi and beer." She replied hurriedly, rushing into the kitchen to avoid his gaze.

"Pepsi would be great." Killian responded

"Does he need anything?" Emma called from the kitchen, referring to Brinkley.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind some water if it isn't too much trouble. Just a cheap plastic bowl or something. Whatever you have."

Emma came back, two glasses of Pepsi tucked under one arm and a bowl of water in the other hand. Killian immediately rushed over, taking the drinks from her.

"Why didn't you ask for help, love?"

"Waitress." She replied. "I'm used to carrying trays and glasses at the same time. No big deal."

She gestured for him to sit. He took the left end of the couch. Brinkley, who had assumed the gesture was for him as well, hopped up into the reclining chair, meaning Emma needed to sit on the couch with Killian.

"Brinkley, get down. Killian admonished. "Sorry, I let him on the furniture at my place so he thinks he's just allowed everywhere."

Emma shook her head. It would look too awkward now to sit in the chair after the dog vacated it. "He's fine." She took her place on the opposite end of the couch, putting as much space between her and Killian as possible on the three cushion couch.

"So umm..." Emma started not sure what to say. It had been a very long time since she was in the presence of another man, alone.

After Walsh's betrayal in Texas, Emma had licked her wounds in private for a few weeks. Then when she was forced with the option of returning to work or losing her job, she chose the latter and had overheard some traveling businessmen talking about where they were going to vacation this summer. One started describing the Delaware beaches and Emma found herself intrigued. At the end of her shift that night she looked up the town names mentioned by the businessmen on her phone. Reading a short description online, she was convinced it was where she needed to go next. Two months later, the bug was packed and she was headed for the east coast.

"How long ago did you move here?" Killian asked, hoping it was a safe topic.

"Almost three years ago. Where did you live before here?" Emma responded.

"A seaside town in Connecticut. My brother and I settled there and opened a small bookstore." Killian replied.

There was something in his tone that made Emma realize he hadn't left there in the most pleasant of circumstances. She wanted to be polite, not to pry, but the words fell from her lips anyway. "So how did you end up here? ...Sorry, you don't have to answer that."

"It's quite alright love. I've found talking about it takes away some of the sting. My brother was killed by a drunk driver. He was out for his morning jog and the driver came around a corner too quickly and went up onto the sidewalk. Doctor said Liam died instantly."

"I'm sorry, I should have never asked." Emma said feeling uncomfortable.

"Love, I told you it was alright. Not long after, I sold the bookstore and began looking for somewhere else to live." Killian said.

"And you ended up here, in this tiny town." Emma finished.

He grinned at her, pausing to take a sip of his drink before replying. "That I did. I'd never heard of it before but found an advertisement online looking for someone to maintain a condo for an extended tourist season. I quite like it here. Quiet but beautiful." He said, voice lilting on the last word.

He met her eyes, holding the gaze a little longer than necessary, making Emma fight not to squirm with the thought that he wasn't just talking about the town.

"How did you end up at Mad Hatter Auto? A girl could think you were stalking her, Jones." Emma asked before realizing how flirtatious it sounded.

His tongue ran over his teeth, distracting her eyes to follow the movement. His lips quirked, breaking out into a full smile. The traitorous part of Emma couldn't help but take note of how gorgeous the man before her was when he smiled. "If a lass such as yourself wished to be courted or even woo'd I should think I'd be most willing to oblige. But stalking? That reeks of desperation."

"Let me guess. You've never needed to be desperate for any woman's attention? They've all just fallen at your feet." Emma asked fixing him with a sharp look.

The easy smile slipped off his face, his fingers coming up to rub through the scruff on his chin. "I'd like to think that we could be friends Swan and I have no reason to lie to you. There was a time where I indulged in the looks and charming nature I was given to entice a lass or two but it has been sometime since I've found any appeal in nameless, drunken pursuits."

Emma's brow furrowed, clearly not expecting his candid reply but more surprised that she didn't not detect a hint of any untruth in his statement. "You still didn't answer my first question." She said, trying to get the conversation back on track.

"Beverly, the woman I am renting the condo from, left me a list of various places in town that she thought might be necessary for a newcomer. Her list specifically stated 'Mad Hatter Auto - don't go anywhere else'. Her recommendations for restaurants and other places have been spot on so it seemed only fitting to take her advice for this as well. I assumed you likely had work other than waitressing but I was not aware that you were employed there until I saw you earlier today."

Once again, Emma found only truth in his words. "Well, as long as you're not stalking me then." She joked.

"Definitely not, love. Although should you want for a gentleman suitor, I would volunteer for the position." He teased.

"I bet. So, umm...do you want to watch a movie or something?" Emma asked.

Killian's gaze flickered over to the window, sheets of rain still coming down. He nodded. "Seeing as I'm the guest, does it mean I can choose the movie?"

Emma hesitated in handing him the remote. "I don't watch horror movies."

"Duly noted." He deftly navigated her television, opening up Netflix and searching through the selection of movies.

"Popcorn?" Emma asked, feeling the need to do something as he searched for a movie.

"That would be wonderful, love." He replied and Emma immediately hopped up and went into the kitchen, grabbing a bag and putting it in the microwave. As the room filled up with the noise of popping kernels he called out to her again. "Please tell me you're not going to put Old Bay on the popcorn."

"Why would I do that?" Emma called back, amused he had already encountered his fair share of locals who thought the seasoning to be god-like.

"Well love you didn't seem very amused that I wasn't a local when we first met. Perhaps you've been here long enough to have been converted to the Old Bay cult." He answered and Emma snorted.

"I'm a popcorn purist, Jones." She said shaking the popped kernels into a large green bowl. "Light butter and salt." Emma returned to the couch, placing the bowl between them, trying to ignore that he had moved slightly closer to the center of the couch.

"Not a fan of that Fischer's place then I assume?" Killian asked.

"Oh, no. That's different. They make the most amazing caramel popcorn in the world. Well, maybe not, but as far as caramel popcorn goes, I eat Fischer's or I don't eat any. It's like Thrashers. You can't eat Thrashers then have Boardwalk fries and expect them to compare."

"Thrashers?" Killian asked.

"It's a French fry stand in Ocean City and I think there's one in Rehoboth too. They serve their fries with vinegar which I thought was gross until I tried them and now I'm hooked. The line is always ridiculously long." Emma explained.

"Perhaps you can accompany me on my next trip to Ocean City so I can taste these magic French fries for myself." Killian offered. Emma froze, unsure of how to answer him. She wasn't interested in dating and wasn't convinced they could be friends either. Or that she even wanted another friend.

As though he seemed to sense the thoughts swirling through her mind. "No need to answer now Swan, I'm sure you're quite busy with the tourist season so quickly approaching. Let's start the movie, aye?"

Emma nodded, relieved he had taken the pressure off her to respond. So lost in her own thoughts about whether or not she should ever join him on a trip to the other resort town, she completely missed the title of the movie. It wasn't until the list of actors was almost complete that it dawned on Emma what they were watching.

"Wait," she spluttered, unable to keep the shock from her voice. "We're watching a chick flick?"

"I prefer 'Romantic Comedy' and yes, love. We are. I thought perhaps you might be interested in seeing Brinkleys namesake." Killian replied.

"You named your dog after Brinkley in You've Got Mail?" Emma asked incredulously.

"Yes. Now shush. It's starting." Killian said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

Her brow remained furrowed for a moment or two, studying his profile and trying to figure out just what type of man would admit to naming his dog after a chick flick.

"See something you like, Swan?" He teased.

Emma felt her cheeks burn, quickly turning her head to face the television. "I'll explain the name after the movie." He continued.

Emma nodded, reaching into the bowl for a handful of popcorn. A loud boom of thunder rocked her cottage, causing Brinkley to hop off the reclining chair and onto the small space between Killian and the edge of the couch, back legs hanging off because he was too large for the space.

"Big baby." Killian muttered, lifting the popcorn bowl up and scooting closer to Emma, throwing one arm around the dog and placing the bowl on his lap. His shoulder and forearm brushed against hers and Emma couldn't stop the shudder that ran through her.

It wasn't unpleasant but nearly electric. "Alright there?" He asked, just above a whisper.

Not trusting herself not to squeak, she nodded again mentally trying to talk the hairs on her arms to stand down and the goosebumps to disappear. Their arms and fingers continued to brush against each other as they both reached for the popcorn at the same time. Emma found herself clenching her jaw to stop herself from shuddering at his inadvertent touch. Looking at him out of the corner of her eye she was slightly disappointed to see his expression completely relaxed.

She had initially assumed he liked her and was trying to flirt and charm his way into a date, but the more time she spent with him the less sure she became. He could easily just be one of those men who flirted with every woman without any feelings behind it. The more she thought about it, the most frustrated she became. Emma had a knack for being able to read people pretty well, (Walsh excluded) but Killian was different.

When the credits began to roll across the screen, he turned toward her. "Are you interested in hearing how Brinkley got his name or would you prefer we go?" He nodded to the window.

Her eyes followed the movement, noting the heavy downpours has tapered off into a light drizzle. "You promised the story." Was all she said, hoping it didn't sound as though she wanted to kick him out or keep him there longer.

"Aye, I did." He shifted on the couch, turning to face her. "Liam and I owned a bookstore in Connecticut. Shortly before he died, a chain store had come into the small town. We were doing fine financially, but then Liam was killed. We only had two part time employees who were both leaving for college in the fall. The store just wasn't the same without him. I was made an offer to sell and I accepted. The day the check from the sale of the bookstore was delivered to me, I found Brinkley on my porch. Well, the delivery courier did and reprimanded me for not providing him water as it was hot out. I posted ads, visited shelters and tried to find how owners but I had no luck. Eventually I decided to keep him and began thinking of a name."

"And you chose Brinkley because of the small bookstore and chain bookstore coincidence?" Emma asked.

"The bookstore owners name was also Joe." Killian replied.

"And you've seen enough chick flicks to immediately make the connection?" Emma asked incredulously.

Killian flushed. "Not always by choice, love. I suffer from insomnia and have found that movies help me fall back asleep if they're not violent or action packed. That mainly leaves me with comedies, children's movies and romantic comedies."

"Huh." Emma replied, studying him again. "I get insomnia too. I hadn't tried watching movies. Usually just infomercials."

"Perhaps you could give it a try next time." He suggested, then stood up, pulling Brinkley off the couch with a gentle tug of his collar. "We are most appreciative of your hospitality during the inclement weather, aren't we?"

Brinkley looked over to Emma and raised his paw to shake. She hesitated for a moment before leaning forward and taking the dogs paw. "No big deal." She told the dog who seemed to accept her response. Looking back up at Killian she asked if he had taught Brinkley that trick.

"Ah love, that is a story for another day." He grinned.

She stood and followed them both to the door. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Killian reached down and took her hand in his own, bowing his head and pressing his lips to her knuckles. Emma fought to keep her face neutral but could not stop her eyebrows from shooting upward.

"Have a good evening Swan." He said with a wink, letting himself out and shutting the door behind him.

Emma stood there in shock for a few minutes before realizing she never thanked him for taking her home. Throwing open the front door she practically stumbled open her front porch.

"Hey," she yelled into the semi-darkness, just able to see his silhouette turning toward her in the faint light. "Thanks for taking me home."

"My pleasure. Good night." His accented voice carried over the darkened yard to her.

"Night." Emma offered an awkward half wave before slipping back inside.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Killian

Killian pressed his forehead up against the chilled tile, a drastic contrast from from the steaming, hot water running down his back. He had spent the previous night with visions of Emma Swan flittering through his mind.

Stepping backward, he rinsed off and stepped out of the shower, quickly drying himself and securing the towel at his waist. His fingers came up to run through his wet hair, pushing it off his forehead.

A whining noise from Brinkley reminded him that he didn't feed the canine before showering so in that extra ten minutes without kibble, Brinkley had obviously entered dangerous levels of starvation and needed to let his master know he was going to wither away to a pile of fluff and bones. "Bloody hell dog, you're truly exasperating sometimes." He glared at the canine as he dumped two large scoops of kibble into the bowl.

 _Might as well start the coffee pot_ Killian thought, turning to grab the pot when the high quality chocolate bar caught his eye. "Bloody hell!" He said again, causing Brinkley to look over at him. Killian pointed to the chocolate. "We were there for hours and I didn't even think to ask her how she makes her hot chocolate."

Brinkley eyed him a moment longer, gauging whether his masters outburst was complete, before turning back to his bowl of kibble.

Killian stared at the dog for a moment. "You're right!" He agreed as though Brinkley had offered some form of conversation. "It could garner me access to her home again. Good thinking...ah, but perhaps it would be more appealing to learn how to make it on my own and then surprise her with it. Yeah?"

Brinkley lifted his head from the bowl, making a noncommittal noise.

"Why in the hell am I asking a dog?" Killian said aloud, more to himself but didn't miss the unwavering gaze from his dog as though he were wondering the same thing.

He poured some milk into a saucepan and heated it up, watching to make sure the milk didn't scald. Adding in one-third of the chocolate bar, he stirred until it melted then added a sprinkle of her required cinnamon. He frowned. The drink wasn't dark enough, instead it resembled the color of overly milky coffee. Taking a sip once it cooled, he realized he had used too much milk and not enough chocolate.

On his second attempt, he tried adding the chocolate to the milk while it was heating up and ended up with a sticky brown mess of burnt chocolate at the bottom of the saucepan. "Bloody hell!" Killian grumbled, pouring the mixture down the sink and filling the saucepan with hot, soapy water.

He only had about a cup of milk left and only one other saucepan so he decided his last attempt would turn out perfectly. As it turns out, Brinkley had other plans, distracting Killian long enough for the milk to come to a boil, hissing and spluttering as it poured down the sides of the saucepan and all over his stove.

"Damn it Brinkley! I'm out of milk now. How do you expect me to make the hot chocolate?" Killian glared angrily at the dog who blinked back with sad eyes.

He thought for a moment before remembering Betsy. Perhaps he could pop into the crepe shop and see if she had some free time today to teach him how to make hot chocolate. If he learned from the woman who made the best hot chocolate according to Emma, he was confident she would like it.

Shoving his cell phone in his pocket and pulling a baseball cap over his unruly hair, he headed for the front door, whistling for Brinkley to follow him. "You're lucky I like you." He muttered to the dog who growled in response.

-\\-

"Killian! What a pleasant surprise. Oh and you brought Brinkley! Go get him, he's more than welcome inside!" Betsy said, coming around the counter with a wide grin on her face.

As soon as he opened the door to the crepe shop, Brinkley bounded in and immediately went over to Betsy, flopping to the floor and rolling on his back for stomach rubs. "Well aren't you quite the charmer!" Betsy laughed, obliging the dog.

"Apologies ma'am, he's usually not that brazen for affection." Killian said, frowning at the dog.

Betsy laughed again. "Oh, no matter. Maybe he just remembers the bacon I gave him last time."

At her mention of the crispy, salted meat Brinkley righted himself, ears going back and tongue flopping out of his mouth. Killian found himself pressing his palm to his forehead unable to figure out why his dog was so dead-set on embarrassing him in front of the older woman. _At least he behaves somewhat around Emma_ he thought.

"Bacon? Yes, you want some bacon?" Betsy asked Brinkley in a voice used for a child, leaning down. Brinkley responded enthusiastically with kisses all over her face. "Oh yes, let's get you some bacon. Now you be a good boy and wait right here."

Betsy was halfway into the kitchen before she turned back and looked at Killian who was scowling at his dog. "I'm so sorry, Killian. I never let you answer. What brings you here today?"

Shooting another scowl at the dog, he met the older womans eye then felt suddenly shy, the fingers of his right hand coming up to scratch behind his ear, a nervous tic he'd never been able to shake. "Quite alright. I was hoping, perhaps, you might be able to tell me or possibly show me how to make hot chocolate."

Betsy's face lit up. "And would you perhaps want to learn how to make hot chocolate for a certain prickly blonde woman you've recently met?" She teased, knowing there could be no other reason.

Killian felt his cheeks turn pink. "We ran into each other at the store a few days ago. She was out of cinnamon and I convinced her to show me which ingredients she bought to make it, but my attempts this morning did not go over as well as planned."

"Woof!" Brinkley interrupted, jumping up on his hind legs, throwing his front paws over Killian's shoulder.

"Brinkley!" Killian admonished. "Have you forgotten all your manners? Get down and behave or I'll have Betsy make bacon for all the other dogs in this town!" Brinkley complied, looking contrite as he tried to remain patient at his master's feet.

Betsy just laughed. "I'd tell you to bring him back here and we could make bacon and hot chocolate at the same time, but if anyone caught us, the health inspector would be here in a heartbeat and I'd be paying quite a hefty fine."

"Of course. I can't allow you to do that." Killian started, but Betsy waved her hand at him to stop.

"Now, I'll just pop in the kitchen for a few moments and get some bacon cooked up for Brinkley here. Once he's occupied, I'll show you how to make hot chocolate...say, do you want a cup of coffee while you wait?"

"That'd be lovely. Thank you so much for this." Killian said.

"Nonsense." Betsy, quickly poured coffee into a large mug and slid it across the counter in Killian's direction. "I'll be out in a flash."

He sipped the coffee, content to let his eyes wander around the small shop, taking in the whimsical decorations. Picking up a brightly colored take-out menu from the counter, he flipped through it, reading about all of the crepes that Betsy served and what ingredients went into each of them. By the time she came back out with a plate full of bacon for Brinkley, Killian had worked up quite the appetite himself.

"Come on." She nodded to Killian, gesturing for him to come behind the counter.

Stepping through the swinging doors, Killian found his nose assaulted with the most pleasant of scents. Sugar and dough lingered in the air intermixed with the sweet scents of fresh herbs. His stomach growled.

"Looks like you'll have breakfast once you learn how to make hot chocolate." Betsy said knowingly.

Killian flushed. "Perhaps a crepe wouldn't hurt."

Betsy nodded, gesturing for him to follow her to the large stove that sat in the center of the kitchen. "Some restaurants used the powdered mix and add a swirl of chocolate syrup to it to make it richer. Blasphemy, I say. Now, you have two ways of making hot chocolate. The first one is with a good quality cocoa powder, sugar and milk and the other is with a good quality chocolate bar. I use a bar, but most people use the powder. Ain't nothing wrong with it, just a bit harder to find down here. Can't get it in the grocery stores and my local supplier can't even get it in the cities all the time to bring down here. Anyway, you want around 60% chocolate. Now, you know how to use a knife? Chop this up." She handed him the chocolate bar and gestured toward a cutting board where a knife sat on top.

While he chopped up the chocolate, she gathered the rest of the ingredients. "Whole milk only. Never less. Half and Half if you're in a pinch. Only use 2% if you can mix it with half heavy cream, you understand?"

Killian nodded, sliding the board of chocolate over toward the stove.

"Now put a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add two cups of milk, two tablespoons of sugar, and two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Two, two and two. Easy, huh? If you can get cinnamon sticks, it doesn't hurt to pop one of those in as well. Now you let the milk warm up all nice and slow until it starts to simmer. Then you take it off the stove and let it steep for ten minutes. Fifteen doesn't hurt if you've got the time. Now let's get a double boiler set up. You know what that is?"

"Aye. Years back my brother and I took a cooking class. We needed to use one for a sauce." Killian replied, adding water to another saucepan, placing a glass bowl on top and heating it over medium-high heat.

"You're holding out on me here, boy. I didn't know you could cook!" Betsy thumped him on the chest.

"Sorry. It hadn't come up in conversation until now." Killian replied, waiting for the water to boil then adding the chocolate to the glass bowl as Betsy told him. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, he pulled the glass bowl off the saucepan and sat it on the counter once the chocolate had melted. Betsy had pulled the cinnamon stick from the warmed milk and put it back over low heat. She gestured for him to pour in the melted chocolate.

"Slowly now, don't want to burn anything. And then you just stir until they mix together and it's all warmed through." Betsy replied, leaving him at the stove to rummage around in the refrigerator. "Ha. Found you."

Killian turned to find Betsy holding a can of Ready-Whip in her hand. "Now, I only use this in the off season when it doesn't make sense to keep fresh whipped cream around here in bulk. Don't go thinking I regularly serve my customers crepes topped with this can stuff."

Killian nodded. "Never."

Betsy disappeared through the swinging doors and returned holding two large mugs. Killian divided the mixture between them and Betsy squirted the cream concoction on top. Grabbing a shaker from the spice rack, she sprinkled the cinnamon on top of each, adding a bit of color to the white whipped cream. "Now, go on. Taste it!"

Killian blew into the cup, hoping he wouldn't burn his tongue as he tried the sweet concoction. He didn't have much of a sweet tooth, preferring the natural sweetness of fruit to chocolates and richer desserts, but there were times where he got a craving for a decadent, fudgy brownie or a thick, rich slice of cheesecake.

He took a sip, allowing the flavors to roll over his tongue; his taste buds coming alive. It was rich and hearty, the chocolate and milk creating almost a velvet-like texture. It was sweet, but not cloyingly so and the faint undercurrent of cinnamon peeked through the richness, like the ray of sun breaking through on a cloudy day.

He grinned at Betsy. "Damn delicious! Your turn to try it." He continued grinning as Betsy took a sip and smiled back at him. He knew it was perfect and as long as he could create it at home, Emma would be more than impressed with him.

"As you said, it's delicious. You're a quick learner, Killian. Although, perhaps you should get back out there to Brinkley to make sure he hasn't found a way into the pastry case." Betsy said with a smile.

Killian's eyebrows shot up as he raced toward the front of the store. For the first time since the dog had found him, Killian nearly forgot about his presence. It was almost too quiet in the front of the shop. Nearly sliding around the corner from behind the counter, Killian skidded to a stop to find Brinkley curled up in the corner by the window, watching the few passerby's, plate that once held bacon licked clean.

At his sudden intrusion, Brinkley turned to look at Killian, meeting his eye for only a moment before returning back to looking out the window. Killian knew when he was being snubbed. He figured it was deserved since he yelled at Brinkley earlier.

Betsy came around to join them. "I think you should try a sweet crepe this time, to go with your drink. Would you like to try the banana one Emma had last time? Or perhaps one with berries? They're quite ripe this early in the year."

Killian thought for a moment. "Perhaps you could combine the banana and berries? I don't need the cinnamon sauce Emma requested though."

Betsy snorted. "Oh, but you do. I'll be back shortly. Enjoy that hot chocolate now."

Nearly an hour later, he finally made his way out of the shop, a small brown bag with the chocolate bar they had used earlier inside. Killian had tried to pay Betsy for his crepe, coffee and the bacon for Brinkley but she had waved him off telling him that their little adventure this morning really made her day and there was more than enough days during the tourist season where she'd make him pay for his own crepes. He protested at the free bar of chocolate as well, knowing the quality stuff didn't come cheap, but she had fixed him with a firm glare and reminded him that the hot chocolate was for Emma which made it more than worth it.

Heading back to his truck, he paused when he heard his name being called. Turning, he found Emma's friend Rachelle coming down the sidewalk. "Good morning Rachelle." He said politely.

"Pssh. Call me Ruby. And good morning, back. Whatcha doing here?" She asked.

"Oh, err." Killian paused, flustered. Although Ruy had helped him out the other day making ridiculous excuses as to why he should take Emma home and not her, he wasn't sure that he should tell her what he was up to in case she let it get back to Emma. "I wanted something sweet for breakfast so I decided to visit the crepe shop."

Ruby bent down to pet Brinkley, who was once again practically drooling from all the female attention. "Liar."

"What?" Killian spluttered.

"Emma's the real master at it. Knowing when someone is lying or not, but dude, you suck at lying. The tips of your ears turn pink and you can't make eye contact. Try again?" Ruby asked.

Killian frowned. "Fine. I initially visited Betsy to see if she could teach me how to make hot chocolate."

Ruby bounced back up to meet his eyes, leaving Brinkley glaring at her for so quickly losing attention with him. "For Emma? You learned how to make hot chocolate so you can make it for Emma? Oh that's good. Really good. I knew I liked you!"

Killian flushed. "I thought perhaps I could learn how to make it and then one day surprise her with it, if she'd be so willing to see me again."

"So how's your hot chocolate making skills, buddy?" Ruby asked with a smirk on her face that Killian quickly interpreted as troublesome.

"Fair enough I suppose. Why do you ask?" Killian asked her hesitantly.

"Oh, just because Emma works the evening shift tonight at the restaurant over there and you could, oh, I don't know, maybe be sitting right there on that bench when she leaves with some hot chocolate in a thermos." Ruby was bouncing on her heels, face split into a wide grin. "Oh, please Killian, do it."

Killian thought it over for a moment and figured he really had nothing to lose. "I haven't made hot chocolate on my own before, love. I have no idea if I'll pull it off or not the first time. Could be a complete waste of chocolate." He explained.

"Gimme your phone." Ruby replied holding out her hand.

Confused, Killian handed it to her. Quickly she punched in a number and handed it back to him. "I just added myself to your contacts. You go home and practice making hot chocolate. If you get it right, you text me and I make sure Emma gets off work at nine and walks past that bench. Deal?" She held out her hand to shake.

He slid his palm in hers. "Deal." He grinned.

-\\-

 _Evening, Ruby. It appears my hot chocolate skills are successful._ He typed.

Instantly the three little dots appeared indicating she was responding. _Awesome! So fail on the nine part, I can't get David to let her leave any early than ten. You okay with that?_

 _Ten is fine. I'll be on the bench you pointed out earlier. Thank you for your assistance with this._

 _I should be the one thanking you. You're like the only guy Emma has shown even a smidgen of interest in since she's been here._ The three dots appeared again immediately. _Do NOT tell her I said that! Ever. Pretend I didn't even say that._

 _Say what?_

 _;) Good luck tonight Jones!_

-\\-

Pouring the hot chocolate into two newly purchased travel containers, Killian headed out the front door with Brinkley on his heels.

He sat on the bench on the boardwalk, facing the entrance of the restaurant. The boardwalk was empty, only two other stores still open at this time of night. He longed for the summer season when the extended hours would begin, the crowds of people milling around. Despite the unseasonable temperatures that occurred on the day he first met Emma, the weather had returned to its more common state, colder with a threat of rain in the air.

He breathed in deeply, a cold wind coming in off the ocean pushed the scent of salt air toward him. Tilting his head back, he looked up and started scanning his eyes across the inky, black sky, mapping out the constellations he knew. Another strong breeze came through, causing Killian to shove his fingers into the pouch of the gray hoodie he wore. He closed his eyes, allowing the cold air and beachy scents to relax him as they had always done.

Eventually his front pocket buzzed. Killian pulled out his phone to see another text from Ruby. _She's clocking out now. Will be out in a min._

Killian smiled, shoving the phone back into his pocket. A long moment later, he heard the door to the restaurant being opened and the faint sounds of music coming from within. From his location, he was able to watch her exit the restaurant, heading down the sidewalk toward him.

As she approached, Killian realized he had no idea what he was going to say. Brinkley decided to take that opportunity from him, trotting over to Emma's approaching form.

"Oh!" She said startled, taking a step back before realizing that she recognized the dog in front of her.

Killian stepped forward to face her. "Good evening, Emma."

Emma's eyes darted around. "Thought you weren't a stalker."

Killian frowned. "I believe we've had this conversation already, love. Actually, I realized the other night that I was in your presence and I didn't have you teach me how to make this hot chocolate drink you're so fond of. I intended to ask you the next time we crossed paths, but I found myself with some free time this afternoon and started experimenting. I think I've gotten it right." He said, holding out one of the cups to her.

Emma took the cup from his outstretched hand but didn't try it. "How did you know I would be here? How did you even know I worked here?"

Killian paused. _How did he know this without telling her that Ruby or Betsy told him._ "On our first meeting when Ru-Rachelle came in to tell you about the shift at the restaurant, she gestured this way on the boardwalk. Then the other day you told me you were a waitress. I simply took a chance to see if this was the place you worked. And if you would be here."

"All this to get me to try your hot chocolate? Seems a bit much , Jones. How do I know you haven't poisoned it?" Emma asked.

Killian frowned. "Love, I realize that you don't know much about me, but seeing as I was alone with you in your cottage the other night and had no designs to poison or otherwise hurt you then, I'd like to think you could tell if I intended to cause you harm now."

Emma hesitated. "We're alone now."

Killian frowned again. "I see. Well, I hope you have a good evening Miss Swan. Come on, Brinkley." He turned away from her, dog at his side and began to head down the sidewalk.

"Killian, wait!"

* * *

 **Oh Emma, you aren't going to make it easy for Killian, are you?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for not getting this chapter up yesterday, I had internet connection issues.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Emma

"David's going to get pissed if he sees you out here texting Victor." Emma mumbled to Ruby who stood behind the bar, phone in one hand and a big grin on her face.

"What? Oh. I'll handle him. Don't worry about it." Ruby flashed Emma a grin, eyes bright with pure glee.

Emma rolled her eyes, not sure if she wanted to know what her friend's boyfriend was texting to cause Ruby to light up like that.

Her last half hour of work passed quickly. The last table had left at nine-thirty and Emma found herself helping Ruby clean up behind the bar once she had wiped down her tables. Carrying the last tray of glasses back into the kitchen to be washed, Emma untied her apron and tossed it into her employee locker, grabbing her phone and jacket.

"Night, David. Night, Ruby." Emma called heading toward the front doors of the restaurant.

Stepping out into the chilly spring air Emma found herself wishing she had grabbed a heavier jacket. Despite living all over the country in her life, she had never really become fond of the cooler months, preferring flip flops to snow boots. Years ago, when she was living in northern Texas and dating Walsh, they used to talk about moving to Florida to have that warm weather year-round. But after Emma found out about all of his lies, the thought of living there now left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Slipping her right hand into the pocket of her leather jacket, her fingers brushed against the cold metal of her keys. Her thumb subconsciously rubbed over the metal swan keychain, one of the few mementos she saved from her childhood. Lost in her head dredging up old, unpleasant memories of Walsh and her younger years, Emma let out a startled noise and jumped back when a dog came out of nowhere to greet her.

Recognition dawned on her eventually; it was Brinkley, the dog that belonged to Killian. As if saying his name in her mind caused him to materialize, he stepped forward from the bench to her left. "Good evening, Emma."

Misguided instinct, not any actual detection of fear, caused her eyes to dart around suspiciously. "Thought you weren't a stalker."

He frowned at her, shoulders slumping forward as though he were defeated. He explained how he tried making hot chocolate based off the ingredients she told him to pick up and that he wanted her to try it. Her mind was still swimming with unpleasant thoughts from her past, causing her to push her walls up even higher, questioning how he knew that she worked there and even going as far to accuse him of poisoning her. As the words fell from her lips, she knew it was a ridiculous accusation but it was too late to take it back and still didn't stop her from pointing out that should he want to cause her harm, they were alone. Not as though she couldn't hold her own. Her upbringing and various jobs in bars meant she could handle herself in more situations than most.

Her last false accusation pushed him too far. His lips pursed, brow furrowing before he frowned, shaking his head slightly at her. "I see. Well, I hope you have a good evening Miss Swan. Come on, Brinkley."

She stood rooted to the spot on the sidewalk watching his back retreat down the sidewalk as the embarrassment rolled over her in waves. Although he was a flirt, Killian had never done anything to make Emma think he wouldn't be anything more than a gentleman in any situation. She had spent hours alone with him just the night before and had bid her goodnight with a kiss _to the knuckles_. His physical threat level to her registered about as high as a fluffy kitten. Emotional, however, was an entirely different story but Emma didn't have time to think that through.

"Wait!" She called, jogging down the sidewalk to catch up to him. "Killian, please wait." He slowed down initially but didn't stop until she called his name.

Coming up beside him she offered him an embarrassed smile. "Killian, I'm sorry. That was completely ridiculous of me. I know you're not going to poison me or kidnap me or something. I just...can we start over?"

He studied her face, hesitating. Finally he spoke. "Yes, Swan. We can. Follow me." He reached for the travel cup he had handed her and headed back up the sidewalk to the bench. "Now, please head down the sidewalk like you did before."

Emma shook her head a little, amused that they just couldn't start the conversation over. She walked back to the steps of the restaurant and then turned around, heading toward the bench where he and Brinkley sat. This time she kept her head up, her fingers still playing with the keychain, but kept her mind free of unhappy memories.

As she approached the bench, Killian called out to her. "Evening Miss Swan. Fancy seeing you here."

She smiled, stopping in front of him. "Hey, Jones. What are you doing out here in the cold?"

"Hoping you might have been working tonight and would pass me by on this very bench." He said with a shy smile.

"How'd you know I worked here?" Emma couldn't help but ask.

"Ah, love that is because I am an excellent detective." He replied confidently, before lowering his voice an octave. "Actually, that's not true at all. I simply hoped this was your place of employment. When we first met, Rachelle gestured in this direction when speaking with you about the additional shift and then last evening you reminded me you were a waitress."

"Lucky call on your end. So why did you want me to pass by you?" Emma asked.

"Why, because I have prepared your favorite sweetened concoction and I wished for you to judge me on the outcome." He replied, holding out the travel mug to her.

"You made hot chocolate for me to try?" She asked, incredulously letting the reality that he had done something specifically for her sink in. At his nod, she continued. "But I thought you wanted me to show you how to make it. I was actually kind of surprised you didn't ask the other night."

Even in the darkness of night, Emma could see the blush creep across his cheeks. "Perhaps I was too entranced with simply being in your company to impose further by asking you. Today I found myself with some free time and was intrigued by the bar of chocolate you suggested I purchase."

Emma found herself smiling. No one had ever tried to make hot chocolate for her. Walsh would buy it for her at the most pretentious of coffee shops and bakeries but he had never sought out the ingredients and experimented on making it from scratch like she always did. Pushing Walsh and his many failings from her mind once again, she asked. "Can I taste it now?"

Killian nodded, glancing down to Brinkley for a brief moment before looking back up at her.

The cold air had cooled the drink slightly, but it was still of drinking temperature. She let the rich chocolate flavor roll over her tongue. "It's good. Really good. Thank you Killian." She saw him visibly exhale in relief. "But umm, it tastes just like Betsy's. Who closed at five today and I know reheated hot chocolate, which this is not, so you wanna explain?"

"Betsy did not make the hot chocolate, I assure you." Killian replied, purposely being obtuse.

"Jones, I need to let you in on a little something. I can tell when someone is lying to me. Betsy might not have made it but I know she was involved somehow. So come on, tell me the truth." Emma prodded.

He offered her a sheepish smile. "Perhaps I went to the crepe shop for breakfast this morning and perhaps I asked Betsy her methods of concocting such a drink." At Emma's raised eyebrow he continued. "And then she handed me one of the chocolate bars she uses and told me to practice with that."

Emma's eyebrows practically touched her hairline. "She gave you one of those chocolate bars? W-T-F dude? What did you give her? I've been trying to talk her into letting me buy them from her since I first had her hot chocolate and realized the store-sold chocolate bars just did not compare."

Killian shrugged. "She wouldn't accept anything. She simply told me I had to use it and practically shoved me out the door."

"It's gotta be those looks." Emma said before her hand flew to her mouth, eyes widening in alarm. She hadn't meant to say that aloud. His eyebrow lifted, and a smirk appeared on his lips as his shoulders slid back puffing out his chest slightly.

"Swan!" He gasped in mock horror. "Are you admitting that you find me attractive?"

Emma glared at him, unimpressed. "Let's not act like you've been hidden away in some tower for the last couple of decades and have never encountered a mirror."

He stepped toward her in what could only be described as a swagger. Emma found herself fighting to keep her face impassive but she could do nothing about the increase in her heart rate at the proximity of him, the smell of his cologne surrounding her. "I know what others think of me," he said barely above a whisper and Emma could feel the warmth of his breath on her forehead. "I'm simply curious to know what you think."

For a brief second she entertained the idea of grabbing the strings of his hoodie and pulling him to her, crashing her lips into his to see if the cocky behavior would hold or if she could throw him off guard. "You're alright." She said with a shrug, impressed she managed to keep her voice even.

He laughed heartily, shaking his head. "You wound me, Swan."

Emma took a step back, needing to put space between them before she did something stupid like act on her previous idea. As though he sensed it, he took a step back as well. She walked around him, plopping down on the bench. "So Betsy really gave you one of those chocolate bars for nothing? I'm so jealous." She took another sip of the drink. "And it's really good, you totally got her recipe down."

Killian joined her on the bench, angling his body to face toward her. "Aye, lass. She did. Had I realized the chocolate was so precious I surely would have put up much more of a fight to purchase it instead."

"You wouldn't be interested in telling her you didn't get it right with this bar and maybe getting another one to give to me would you?" Emma asked hopefully.

"Swan!" Killian admonished. "Now that's lying and thievery and I'll have nothing to do of the sort!"

She frowned in defeat. Eventually she'd figure out how to convince Betsy to let her buy the chocolate from her.

"I never realized how peaceful it was here." Killian said changing the subject.

Emma nodded. "You know how you can live somewhere for years, seeing the same sites over and over again and they just become expected, commonplace? There's nothing left to draw your eye in or surprise you? That's never happened to me here, even in the winter when most of the stores are boarded up and dark, window displays empty. I notice when they repaint the lines of the parking spots, when a store hangs up a new sign. When Kohr Bros changes their flavor line up. When the wind blows differently and the sand piles up in dunes along the boardwalk, I notice it."

"The ocean is a miraculous thing. Ever changing, but yet the same. Sometimes she is calm and tranquil, with her waves gently lapping along the shore like a soft embrace, quiet repetitive motion like that of a lullaby and other times the sea is angry and full of rage, large swells rising up and slamming into the shoreline with such force, dragging the sand back into its depths with each violent crash into the shore. But no matter what her mood, there is always a sense of peace and calming to be found." Killian said softly.

Emma found herself entranced in his words, turning to look upward toward the ocean at his descriptive words, although the dunes blocked her view. It took a moment before she could respond, lost in how easily he was able to describe what being near the ocean did for her. Startled at his ease of language, how he made her want to open up, she took the safe route and opted to tease him instead. "Ever think of writing poetry, Jones?" She quipped.

He flushed and she immediately felt bad. "I just mean you're really good at describing it. I know what you mean, I've just never been able to put into words like that."

Killian nodded. "Have you always enjoyed the ocean?"

The crisp air, the sound of the waves, the few stars visible through the cloudy skies, the orange glow from the streetlights, the warm drink in her hand and the fact that they were the only two people on the street right now, gave her a slight nudge of courage, the lost little girl within wanting to open up and explain, to share her history with the man she barely knew but who could so easily explain the way being near the water made her feel.

"For a long time, it was just something that I read about in books. I moved around a lot as a kid but we never lived near the ocean and when we were within driving distance, it's not like we visited. Once I was on my own I was drawn to it, but life got in the way and it wasn't until I moved here that I realized how much I really like it." Emma confided in him.

"I grew up near the ocean; a tiny little cottage in a fishing town. My brother would always take me down to the docks to go fishing. When our mum passed, we moved around a lot, in a few places not close to the water and neither of us could stand it. Eventually decided to come over here and even in Connecticut, we were near the water." Killian told her.

"Do you think it helps you remember your brother? The ocean, I mean." Emma asked, suddenly curious to know more about the man so willing to please her.

"Aye, I believe that is why I am always drawn to it. Despite the bad memories, it holds the good as well." Killian said, taking a long sip from his travel mug.

She remained silent for a minute, letting his words roll over in her mind, realizing how true they were for her as well. Feeling guilty for the way she treated him earlier, especially with how willing he was to share his past with her, she took a deep breath and did something Emma Swan rarely did. She decided to tell him about her childhood.

"I really feel bad about the way I treated you earlier. You heard Betsy say I'm prickly, and well, now you know how true it is. I didn't…" She paused, gathering the courage to go on. "I didn't have a great childhood. My parents died in a car crash when I was five. I was in the car too, but I don't remember anything. I barely even remember them. There weren't any close relatives so I ended up going to live with a distant cousin of my mother's named Ingrid. She was married to this guy, Tony and they had two boys, Daniel and Sam. None of them wanted me there, Ingrid just agreed because they got a small life insurance policy my parents had. The boys hated me the most though, for making them need to share a room, for needing clothes that took away from what they could get. I did all of the chores, the boys had none. It was like some backwards Cinderella story with stepbrothers instead. They were terrible to me, cut my hair in the middle of the night, put a rat in my dresser drawer, blamed me for all the trouble they got into. They used every excuse they could to tell me how much I wasn't wanted there. Did you ever read the Harry Potter books?" She asked.

Killian nodded. "Yes, found them quite fascinating."

"You know how Dudley got everything he wanted for his birthdays and Christmas and Harry got like nothing? It was like that for me. The boys would get brand new bikes for Christmas and I'd get a baby doll missing hair and eyes. They had huge birthday parties with all of their friends from school, games and food, cake and ice cream. I was lucky if Ingrid remembered to tell me 'happy birthday' in the right month." Emma explained, pausing to take another drink of the hot chocolate.

"The day I turned 18, I packed my backpack with what little stuff I had, took the money I had saved up and stole some more from Tony's sock drawer and disappeared in the middle of the night. I took a Greyhound back to Boston and found my parents had left a little bit of money for me. I took that out of the bank and never looked back. I don't know where they live now. They never tried to reach out to me and I've never wanted to look for them. So Betsy is right, I am prickly. I don't get close to people easily; I'm not any good at trusting them. I childishly trusted Ingrid and Tony to keep me safe but I lived in a house scared to do anything because I was always blamed, always tormented by their kids. It didn't get any easier the older I got, so I just stuck to myself. No one can hurt you if they don't know you." Emma finished, eyes darting to Killian's expecting him to be looking at her with pity.

He frowned and shook his head slightly but his expression did not convey pity, simply understanding. "I'm sorry you had such an unpleasant childhood Swan. Mine was not full of roses and sunshine either, but I had my brother. I only wish you had a sibling to help you through those rough years. For what it is worth love, I don't mind that you can be prickly however, I find some fault in your last statement. While it is true that no one can hurt you if they don't know you, it is also true that no one can help you either."

Emma thought about what he said for a moment. "I guess that's true, I never really looked at it like that, thinking that I never needed help. I mean, I survived that on my own. I left there and made it on my own. Granted, it wasn't smooth sailing from there on out either and I got burned with trusting someone again, but I made it through that too and got here all own my own with no help from anyone else."

"Not for a moment do I doubt your strength and ability to persevere; perhaps I just believe you might have had an easier time should you have had someone to lean on during those difficult times." Killian explained.

"I did once and that backfired terribly." Emma said, revealing all she was willing to about Walsh and his betrayals for the moment. Thankfully Killian had no interest in pushing her to further explain and sensed it was time to change the topic.

"So you really found my hot chocolate pleasing, love?" He asked.

Emma smiled, handing him back the empty travel mug. "Yep, it was great. Betsy would be proud. You should stop in there and tell her it turned out."

Killian grinned back at her. "I am quite pleased to hear it. Perhaps I can make hot chocolate for you again sometime."

Emma nodded slowly, standing up. "I think that would be okay."

He stood up as well, stepping impossibly close to her so she needed to tilt her chin to look at his face. She got lost there for a moment, in the blue of his eyes, wondering if he was going to speak or kiss her, when the doors of the restaurant opened, two locals, loudly stumbling out into the night and the spell was broken.

She took a step back, taking in a deep breath, feeling her cheeks flame. Lost in the magic of the ocean, in the cool of the night and the words he weaved like poetry Emma had found herself opening up to him and sharing memories she kept closely guarded to her heart. Now it was just embarrassing and scary, a man she barely knew knowing the unhappiness of her childhood.

"I don't know why I told you all that." She mumbled nervously.

As though he sensed all of the hesitancies she felt about revealing any part of herself to him, he placed his fingers gently on her arm, intent to calm her. "You told me, perhaps because you and I understand each other. Both having experienced pain and loss young in our lives, both guarding our emotions as necessary to survive but both drawn to the ocean, to her ability to calm us. Perhaps to even relax our troubled minds, to soothe our souls." He paused, stepping closer to her again to make room for the locals stumbling down the sidewalk, but held her gaze as though he didn't want her to become distracted with others around. "I'd like to think, Emma, that perhaps we met for a reason and perhaps we could be friends."

 _Friends? That's really what he wanted?_ "Friends?" Emma asked softly. "Is that what you want us to be?"

He smiled softly at her. "I want us to be whatever you wish us to be."

* * *

 **Well, I'd say that is a bit of an improvement on Emma's part over the last chapter, right? :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the delay. I'm not confident with how these next couple of chapters are turning out so I've been trying to re-write as much as possible.**

* * *

Chapter 10: Killian

" _I want us to be whatever you want us to be." You're such a wanker_ the image in his mind of Liam teased him.

 _Shut up brother._ Killian growled.

The image of Liam batted his eyes and pursed his lips, adopting an unnaturally high and shrill tone, meant to mimic a woman. _But Killian, could you possibly be suggesting that we be lovers? How ever so scandalous of you._

Killian rolled his eyes. _Sod off. It's not the 1800's and she's not some fair maiden. If Swan wishes to be friends than I will be content with that. If she wishes for more, I will be content with that as well. I had expected it to take months if not years for Emma to put down any of her walls around me so despite what you might think, brother, I am quite happy with the progress of our relationship._

Liam nodded, suddenly solemn. _I am happy for you, brother. Perhaps this Miss Swan is good for you considering you didn't even try to kiss her._

 _I thought about it!_ Killian argued.

 _Alass, he thinks and does not act. Is this really my brother Killian?_ Liam mused.

Soft sunlight filtered into the room through the slits of the blinds, creating streaks of sunshine on the sea-green bedding. His eyes fluttered behind closed lids, allowing himself to slowly awaken from the dream before opening his eyes to the harsh reminder that Liam was no longer around to have those types of conversations with.

Unlike his recent dreams and conversations conjured up in his mind, this one didn't leave him with a sense of longing or unrest, but slightly peaceful instead, remembering how Liam was always quick to tease him when it came to his feelings towards a woman. Typical brotherly banter, he assumed and although he was sad it could no longer happen in reality, he never doubted Liam's ability to appear in his mind to tease him, should he see it fit to do so.

Truth be told, he was quite shocked at his most recent encounter with Emma. When she had accused him of poisoning her or wanting to get her alone for nefarious reasons, he was hurt. Hurt to have appeared anything less than pleasant and polite around her, hurt that she could so easily misjudge him and hurt that he possibly had read more into each of their encounters than what had truly been there.

He never expected her to open up the way that she did, revealing the unhappiness that was her childhood. He sensed she had glazed over some of the even less happy parts, not telling him everything and choosing to sugarcoat her words slightly as though telling him the bitter and unpleasant truth would cause him to run off somehow. After she shared her history with him, he had hope that she would eventually open up further, give him the details behind the joyless Christmases and what happened in her early adult years causing her to further reinforce her walls, building a nearly impenetrable fortress around her heart.

Part of him regretted not kissing her, to know if her hair felt as silky as it appeared, if her lips as soft as they looked and if the sweetness of the hot chocolate would linger in her mouth but the more rational side of Killian knew it would do him no favors to rush anything with Emma.

As he told her, and as Liam made fun of him for, he did wish for them to be whatever she wanted. If she was only content to have him as a friend, he would quell his desires to kiss her and remain the most steadfast and trustworthy friend Emma Swan would ever meet. And if she wished for more, well, he'd be thrilled and prove himself to be the most amazing boyfriend she would ever have.

The vibrating of his phone on the nightstand jarred him from his thoughts.

"Hello?" He rasped, voice dry from not being used in hours.

"Shit. It's really early. Sorry about that. This is David Nolan from Coconut's…" The voice on the other end of the line apologized.

Killian cleared his throat, reaching for the glass of water he kept on his nightstand. Taking a sip he tried again. "No worries mate, you didn't wake me."

He heard the sigh of relief through the phone. "So, I was just calling to make sure you could still play the piano for us tonight and I think I've managed to work you into the schedule a few times for guitar if that works for you."

Killian rolled out of bed and padded on bare feet into the kitchen where a calendar was hung on the wall. "Aye, I can still play piano tonight. When were you thinking for the other dates?"

David rattled off a few dates, a night in May and June, two nights in July and two nights in August. "That's all I have for now, but we'd love to have you on standby in case someone else can't make it."

Killian flipped through the calendar looking at the dates David had mentioned. He was free for all of them. "You're in luck, mate. I am free all of those nights so I'll write them down. And yes, being on standby would be great."

"Great. You are such a lifesaver. Seriously, Killian, you have no idea how much this is helping me out tonight." David rambled.

"Really, mate, it's my pleasure. It's not often I get to play piano anymore. How early do you wish for me to arrive?"

"A little after six okay? I have some paperwork for you to fill out and I'd like to introduce you to the staff working tonight." David replied.

"Uh, about that. Is your waitress Emma Swan working tonight?" Killian asked, worried that in the midst of everything else they had talked about the other night, he hadn't mentioned at all to her that he would be playing the piano at her place of employment. Considering how well she initially took him finding her there, he was apprehensive to say the least.

"You know Emma?" The surprise in David's voice was apparent.

"Aye, we met a few weeks ago. Quite unpleasantly, I must confess. My usually well behaved dog went chasing after a frisbee and crashed into her, knocking the wind out of her. She agreed to allow me to make it up to her by purchasing her a hot chocolate and I've run into her a few times since then." Killian said, pleased to have someone to share the story of their first meeting with.

David laughed. "Oh gosh, I'm sure she's really going to hate you for telling me that. Now I get to tease her about being bested by a dog. What kind of dog? Please tell me it was something tiny like a cocker spaniel?"

Kilian snorted. "Do I really sound like a guy with a small dog, mate? No, Brinkley is a Golden Retriever. Fully grown."

David laughed even harder and Killian imagined the man was bowed over from laughing so hard. "Sorry." David spluttered through fits of laughing. "It's just making this amazing mental image and I can't stop picturing it over and over again."

"She was quite upset, you know." Killian said seriously, trying to make the other man stop laughing.

David cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "I'm sure she was. Emma's not a big fan of dogs to begin with so I'm really surprised she let you make it up to her."

"She didn't make it easy." Killian confessed. "I nearly figured my apology would be all she'd accept, and even if that, when she finally relented and informed me she drank hot chocolate."

"So forgive me for sounding like an overprotective father, but what are your intentions toward Emma? She keeps to herself." David asked.

"As I'm aware. I am hopeful to begin a friendship with her, seeing as we have a few things in common. Should it progress from there, whatever we become, it's up to her as much as me." Killian replied truthfully.

"Hmm." David murmured and Killian got the sense the other man was mulling over his words. "Emma is one of my best employees so just know if anything unpleasant were to happen between you too, I don't care how great you are on piano or with a guitar, you're the one to go."

"Fair enough, mate." Killian said.

"Well enough chit chat, I need to get ready to head into the restaurant. I'll see you tonight. Thanks again for this man."

"See you this evening." Killian replied, hanging up the phone.

He passed the day by quickly, driving up to the Indian River inlet and following the winding path to the shore. The sand was rougher here and the waves larger, a few crazy souls in wet suits were riding in the waves on their surfboards but otherwise the large beach was deserted. He tossed the frisbee for Brinkley for hours, only stopping when the retriever dropped the frisbee at his feet and flopped down next to it, panting hard. Dropping down on the sand next to him, Killian sat and was content to just look out at the ocean. The weather had been fickle, warm and sunny with summer-like temperatures one day and changing to a chilly spring rain complete with gusty winds the next. This was a better day, too cloudy to really let the warmth of the sun shine through, but lacking the biting late spring breeze.

He heard the sound of car doors slamming and turned his head, watching for the people to appear over the dunes. It was a family; two siblings, a boy and girl came barreling over the dunes and running toward the ocean first. Their father followed shortly thereafter, yelling to the kids to keep away from the water's edge and finally, a woman with a baby strapped to her chest came into view, standing far enough back to watch her older children run around on the beach.

"Please daddy!" Killian heard the girl cry. "Can't we just take off our shoes and dip our feet in the water? I'll roll up my pants and everything." She pleaded and Killian smiled, remembering a time in his youth when he had begged his mother and then eventually Liam, to do the same thing, regardless of the season and how cold the water would be.

"The water is freezing this time of year. It's not like Florida where it stays warm." The father explained, but both children had taken his lack of a no as permission to remove their socks and shoes.

Killian watched with amusement as they both ran toward the ocean, shrieking and jumping when they reached the cold, wet sand from the earlier high tide. "I dare you." He heard the boy yell to the girl and watched as they shared a look of determination before both running further toward the ocean, screaming when the freezing cold water of the Atlantic rushed over their toes.

Killian couldn't help but laugh to himself as they yelled about how cold it was but refused to move from the spot, allowing the waves to numb their toes. He had done the same thing as a child, refusing to care how cold the water was. He'd stay there until either Liam or his mother would threaten him with catching hypothermia and only then would he slowly back away from the sea, never taking his eyes from her until the very last moment.

He returned home to shower and shave and then found himself standing in front of the small collection of clothing he owned, wondering what to wear. He couldn't remember the last time he debated on clothing attire. Since arriving here, he hadn't put much thought into his wardrobe, finding the casual look to be more than sufficient, but something told him to make a bit more of an effort tonight. He slid a black button down over his arms, adding a deep red vest on top and his favorite pair of jeans. He slid his feet into a pair of boots, slapped on some deodorant and cologne, ran his fingers through his hair and decided it was worthy of a restaurant piano player.

He quickly took Brinkley out one more time before departing for the evening and refilled his bowl with kibble, knowing the dog really didn't need any more to eat. At the last second, he turned away from the door and turned on the television for the canine. It was absolutely ridiculous how spoiled Brinkley was but at least Killian could admit it.

He arrived at the restaurant at twenty minutes past six, strolling in with a confidence he didn't quite feel. He hoped David had mentioned the restaurant's new piano player to the staff before he arrived just so Emma wouldn't be completely caught off guard. He walked over to the hostess table and asked for David.

"Sure thing, let me grab him for you." A blonde haired, blue eyed waitress replied.

A few minutes later David came out from the kitchen area and over to where Killian stood. "Hey man, thanks again for this. You really have no idea."

Killian laughed. "Perhaps you could stop thanking me until after I play. Your guests could hate it."

David laughed and threw him an incredulous look. "Not likely."

"Have you-err-perhaps informed your staff of me yet?" Killian asked, realizing he never asked the other man if he thought it better to mention it to Emma ahead of time or let her be surprised.

"Not exactly. Emma and Ruby are two of my most experienced staff, so they become privy to information before the rest of the crew, but all they know is that our piano player for tonight is new in town and came at the recommendation of Rita at the Chamber of Commerce." David replied, then took in the concerned look on the other man's face. "You don't want this to be a surprise for Emma, do you?"

Killian flushed. "Perhaps it might not be the smartest of ideas, intruding on her place of employment without any warning."

David thought for a moment and then nodded. "Follow me." He said and led Killian over to a small dining area facing the ocean. No diners were present, but the tables were set with utensils and caddys of condiments. "I'll get her."

A few minutes later, David appeared with Emma following him. "Why am I following you out here? David, why are you being so weird?" She was saying until she lifted her head and met Killian's sheepish gaze. "Oh!" She said startled, taking a step back. "What are you doing here?"

With a nod to Killian, David left them alone. "My apologies Miss Swan. I did not wish to startle you or bother you at your place of employment, but I did not wish to surprise you later either. When your boss found himself without a piano player for the weekend, he contacted Rita at the Chamber of Commerce who recommended me. I played a bit for David who deemed me worthy of playing for his patrons and here I am. I intended to tell you the other evening, but it slipped my mind."

Emma scanned his face and he immediately knew she was searching for some untruth. After a moment her features relaxed. "So you're the piano player tonight." She said, stating the obvious.

"Aye, that I am. David is going to introduce me to the staff shortly but I asked him if perhaps we could talk first. I didn't want you to think this was me stalking you or trying to impose myself on your life. I met Rita and played for David before I was even sure that you worked here. I hope this does not make you uncomfortable." Killian replied honestly.

She offered him a small smile. "If this wasn't such a small town, it would be a little weird." She confessed. "But telling me first was cool. I'd have been surprised and probably wary, to be honest."

Killian nodded, pleased she wasn't angry. "Full disclosure, I also play guitar and David has asked me to play some evenings as well. I do not have the dates committed to memory but I will be here again in the summer for that, and possibly on piano for as long as it takes for Grant, is it, to recover."

"So, you're a musician?" Emma asked and Killian was surprised to realize he hadn't shared his occupation with her yet.

Killian shrugged. "A bit. I've dabbled in very many trades in my lifetime. Music has been one of them. I've played gigs in restaurants, bars and nightclubs and I was an assistant manager at a record store back in Ireland. When we came here, I pumped gas into boats at the marina and did general boat repairs before my brother opened the bookstore where I was a co-owner."

"Jack of all trades, master of none?" Emma joked.

"Perhaps, but I've found them all rewarding so it's been quite worth it." Killian replied.

Emma's cheeks colored. "I didn't mean that as an insult. I mean, come on, I'm a waitress."

Killian offered her a smile. "No offense taken, love. I've heard the joke before but please don't think that a waitress is any less on the employment totem pole than a musician."

Emma shrugged and he could tell she didn't have a response. Eventually she tilted her head towards the large dining area. "I gotta get back out there, Ruby's been covering my tables. See ya later."

David came back into the room shortly after Emma exited, telling Killian to follow him into the kitchen. The chefs and sous chefs, busboys, runners and waitresses all stopped and turned to look at Killian when David clapped his hands and whistled to gather their attention. "Hey gang, this is Killian. He's going to play piano for us while Jay is on vacation and Grant recovers. Ashley," David turned toward the blonde who was at the hostess station earlier. "You're responsible for making sure Killian has water or soda or whatever at the piano."

The blonde nodded and David went around the room introducing Killian to the rest of the staff. When they got to the cook David told him to make Killian whatever he wanted from the menu tonight, free of charge once his shift was over. Then David headed over to the bar area where two men and Ruby were bartending.

"Killian!" Ruby said in surprise and Killian felt David turn to look at him curiously.

"Hello Ruby. Nice to see you again." He said before turning to David and quickly explaining he had met Ruby when he first met Emma.

Finally all of the introductions had been complete and Killian had been delivered a ginger ale the piano. He sat down and flipped through the sheet music sitting there. Nothing appeared to be too difficult so he shuffled the papers into a different order, figuring he could mix it up a bit from the usual routine. David took the microphone next to the piano and tapped on it twice to get the attention of the diners in the restaurant. For pre-season the place was pretty crowded. Four waitresses including Emma with one serving as the hostess when needed, three bartenders and a fully staffed kitchen. "Evening ladies and gentleman. I just wanted to let you know that tonight we have a new piano player, his name is Killian Jones and he just relocated to the area. Now I'll let him get to it, enjoy your evening."

He began to play, one song seamlessly drifting into another. He tried not to look around the room too much but found that his eyes kept wandering in the direction of Emma's tables. Not wanting her to catch him and think he was trying to make her uncomfortable, he forced himself to scan the room in its entirely each time after he looked her way.

The two hours flew by quickly, his only indication to stop was David coming over and telling him he could finish after that last song. "Thank you and I hope you enjoy your evening" he said into the microphone, slightly self-conscious of how loudly it bounced his accented voice over the quiet of the room.

He stood, wondering if he should follow David into the kitchen to complete out his shift or fill out some paperwork with Ruby called his name and gestured for him to come over and have a seat at the bar.

"Dude, you're good. Do you play anything else?" Ruby asked.

"Guitar." he replied and she laughed, giving him a knowing look.

"I figured as much. You get a drink on the house. What's your guilty pleasure?" She asked, grinning at him.

Killian debated. A good quality rum was his preferred choice but one rum typically led to two and then left Killian in a state not fit for operating a motor vehicle. "What do you have on draught?"

"Miller, Coors, Sam Adams, and some local stuff. Got a 90 minute IPA from Dogfish. You heard of them?" Ruby asked.

"I have. I tried that not too long ago. I'll take one of those, please." He replied and Ruby nodding, tilting the glass and pulling the lever to allow the hoppy, brown liquid to pour into the glass.

He nursed the beer, content to sit there and watch the staff do their jobs. Slowly the restaurant emptied out of patrons, leaving only the staff behind. Two of the waitresses flopped down onto barstools a few seats over from him, dropping their foreheads to the bars.

"If you think this is busy, wait til you see the summer rush." Ruby admonished them, sliding drinks down the bar in their direction.

Eventually David came over to him and brought him back into the manager's office, filling out the necessary paperwork and handing him his pay for the evening. Killian returned back to the bar, finding that Emma was perched on a stool only one apart from where his half-empty beer bottle sat. He slid onto the stool, turning toward her. "No shift drink for you, love?" He asked, eyeing the can of Pepsi in front of her.

"Nope. I have the cook making me a huge plate of onion rings instead." Emma replied and Killian felt his mouth water at the thought of food. He hadn't ate dinner before coming to the restaurant and had completely forgotten about the free meal David had offered him. It was likely now too late, the cook only making Emma's food as an exception.

As if on cue, a busboy brought the steaming plate out to her, the scent of onions and fried goodness wafting through the air to Killian. He inhaled deeply. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Emma turn toward him. "Want one?"

He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to take food from a woman who had been on her feet for the last few hours when he only sat at a piano for the last two, but eventually the delicious smell won over and he accepted. He ate the onion ring as quickly as it would allow before taking another long swig of his beer.

Emma pushed the plate between them. "Have another." And that was how he found himself sharing a plate of onion rings with Emma Swan, making idle conversation about her patrons for the evening.

When only a pile of greasy napkins remained on the plate, Emma hopped up from the bar stool. "Gonna grab my stuff."

As soon as she was out of earshot, Ruby practically jogged over to him, mouth hung wide open. "Emma _never_ shares. Especially onion rings. She seriously growled at me once when I tried to swipe one from her plate. She must like you."

He grinned, filing away the information that Emma Swan did not share her food. She appeared only a moment later, saying goodnight to Ruby and the few remaining staff.

"Can I walk you to your car?" He found himself asking.

"Sure."


	11. Chapter 11

**Once is back! Once is back! Are you guys as excited as I am?**

 **I really dislike the second half of this chapter. It was necessary, but really hard to write. I probably re-wrote it 5 times. Trying to put it all into words that wasn't OOC for Emma and Ruby was really difficult. I hope its okay. Also, I know I've eluded a lot to Walsh betraying Emma but never gave the full story. That's for a reason. When Emma finally tells the whole story about what happened, it will be to Killian.**

* * *

Chapter 11: Emma

"Your gorgeous Irish guy plays piano?" Ruby asked her.

Emma rolled her eyes, quickly turning her head to look in his direction, worried that he might have overheard her ridiculous friend. The distance between the bar and the piano was not that great. "Keep your voice down. He is not _my_ Irish guy and yes, it would appear he plays piano, or he's really good at faking it." Emma hissed at her friend.

"Did you know?" Ruby asked.

"That he played or that he would be here playing? Neither until a few minutes ago. David told me someone was here to see me and dragged me into the small dining room. Killian was there and he explained what we learned earlier, he's the guy recommended by Rita." Emma replied.

"So he wanted you to know he was here instead of just surprising you? That's pretty impressive Emma." Ruby beamed.

Emma nodded. Ruby had a right to be impressed; Emma was too. It was as though Killian truly wanted to put her at ease around him, acknowledging her quirks and responding to them in ways that left her feeling confident and not as though he were trying to pull one over on her. "I know."

"Do you like him?" Ruby asked.

Emma fought hard to keep herself from flushing. "Can we discuss this somewhere else, at another time?"

"I'll take that as a yes." Ruby grinned, handing Emma the drinks she initially came over to the bar to get.

Bidding her last table goodnight, Emma made her way over to the bar, noticing Killian was no longer there. Before she could take a seat, Ruby plopped a can of Pepsi on the bar, one stool over from where Killian's beer sat. With a roll of her eyes, she slid onto that stool. "Ask Doc to make me onion rings?" Emma asked.

Ruby nodded and disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, nodding at Emma on her way out to indicate her onion rings were being made. A few moments later Killian came back to his bar stool. Emma knew it was there before he sat down, she could sense the surprise in his step as he noted her proximity. When he slid into the stool she turned her head, ready to ask him about his first night of playing, but he spoke first, pointing at her soda can and asking about the lack of a shift drink.

Emma rarely drank at the restaurant preferring to substitute her free drink in favor of an appetizer, something David didn't mind. She told Killian about her onion rings, and as if on cue, they came out from the kitchen a moment later.

As a child, Emma had learned to hoard her food and to eat quickly. Sam and Daniel ate nearly twice as much as her and if she didn't scarf down the food the second it touched her plate, it would be snatched away by one of the brothers. Sharing did not come easily to her, but when she heard Killian inhale at the fried scent of onion rings, she found herself uncharacteristically offering him one. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as his lips pursed, blowing cool air onto the battered ring and delicately taking the first bite as to not burn his tongue on the onion within. His lips pursed again, blowing on the next bite. The line of his jaw became more pronounced as he chewed, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed and though she knew it was completely ridiculous and even a bit weird, she found watching him eat fascinatingly attractive, so when the first onion ring was gone, she pushed the plate to the space on the bar between them and told him to have another.

When the plate was empty and she had retrieved her personal items from her locker, it only felt natural for Killian to offer to walk her out so she readily agreed. As they headed down the sidewalk toward her car, she remembered that she never asked him her question from the bar. "So how was your first night of playing?"

"I found it rather enjoyable. It was quite easy to get lost in the music and just play through the sheets. Much easier than playing guitar for a crowd." He replied.

"Every play for any big crowds?" She asked, curious to know about his musical history.

"No, love. Just an overcrowded bar or nightclub some nights." He answered. "What did you think of my playing?"

Emma's eyes darted to his. "Don't tell anyone." She whispered. "But you play better than Grant and Jay." The conversation had flowed so easy with him she almost didn't realize they had arrived at her Bug.

He turned, leaning up against her driver's side door, easy smirk on his face like he belonged there. "Really, Swan?" He asked, eyebrow shooting up. "You found my skills to your liking?"

She couldn't help but smile at his obvious attempts at flirting. She shrugged. "You can play a piano well Jones. I don't know anything else about any of your other skills."

He pushed off the car with his hips, causing her eyes to follow the movement. She knew what he was doing but that didn't stop her from responding. "Perhaps that could be arranged." He said, drawing out the words and punctuating the last syllable of his sentence with a suggestive look.

She snorted. "Please. You couldn't handle it."

He stepped forward, pivoting her so her back was against the car leaving her wondering how that had just happened. He stepped forward, invading her space and tilting his chin down just slightly to look her in the eye. "Perhaps." He nearly whispered. With a shrug of his shoulders he continued. "Or perhaps not."

She tensed slightly, unsure of how to respond. Her head (or hormones) told her to grab him and kiss him senseless and see if he was just all talk. Her heart, however, told her to ignore it, not willing to risk being broken again. Her mouth opened, jaw moving although she had no idea what she planned to say.

As though he sensed her inner struggle, the heat and desire in his eyes faded and his lips eased into a soft smile. "No need to rush into a decision, Emma." He said in a low voice. "I'll be around a while."

She blinked stupidly at him, not expecting his sudden change in demeanor. "Good night Swan." He said softly, turning to leave.

Practically of their own accord, her fingers shot out, grasping his hand to keep him there. "Thank you for asking David to see me first earlier." She said sincerely and before she could second-guess herself, she leaned forward, pressing her lips softly to his cheek.

She dropped his hand and stepped back but not before she watched his lashes flutter in surprise, his lips part and the fingers she had just released come up to touch where her lips just were. Turning away from him she muttered goodnight before focusing on unlocking her car door.

It wasn't until he had walked away, leaving her alone in the silence of her car did she allow herself to let out the breath she had been holding and allow her mind to catalog the last minute to memory; the slightly spicy scent of his skin, the contrast of the softness of his cheek against the stubble that her chin brushed against, the way her lips were still tingling.

-\\-

"Emma. Earth to Emma Swan. Do you read me?" Ruby asked.

"Huh? What?"

"Dude. You're reading, _actually reading,_ Fluffy Kitties Monthly. You left a customer on hold and I've been calling your name for five minutes. I'm coming over tonight and we're talking about this."

"Talk about what?" Emma stalled, trying to push the conflicting thoughts from her mind on focus on her friend in from of her.

"Don't play dumb. We're going to talk about the tall, blue-eyed Irish looker that has you reading cat magazines." Ruby replied.

"There's nothing to talk about." Emma protested. She knew if she agreed to have this conversation with Ruby she'd be faced to deal with her emotions, something she typically tried to ignore.

"Bullshit, blondie. You have beer? I want pizza." Ruby replied in a no nonsense tone.

"Yes I have beer." Emma replied quietly and tried to spend the last two hours of work actually paying attention to what was going on at the auto shop.

Ruby followed Emma home, parking her red convertible behind Emma's yellow bug and following her into the house. Ruby grabbed two beers from the fridge and plopped down on Emma's couch. A few minutes later, after the pizza was ordered, she fixed Emma with a look. "So you gonna start or do I need to drag this out of you?"

"I don't know what you want me to say. Everything is fine. I'm fine."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Did you forget who you are talking to? I know you're lying Emma. Since you didn't deny it last time and said we'd talk about it another time at the bar, I'm pretty sure the way you're acting is because of Killian. Since you've shown like no interest in any other guy since you've been here...I just want to know what's going on. I am your friend. Friends talk about these things."

Emma appreciated Ruby's concern and desire to help. She realized it had been more than a decade since she had a close friend. There were a few coworkers back in Texas she was friendly with, but she rarely ever saw them outside of work. Ava had lived across the street from them in Minnesota, one of the few places they managed to live for more than a year or two. Ava had befriended her on the first day of school after she she saw Emma eating lunch alone. The two had been close friends for four years before Emma came home from school one Thursday afternoon to find her items thrown haphazardly into boxes, the minivan Ingrid drove already overflowing with household items. Ava had stayed late at school for band practice and despite Emma's begging, Tony refused to wait until Ava got home for Emma to say good-bye. It was nearly three weeks before they settled into a new house and Emma could write a letter to her old friend, trying to explain her sudden departure. They kept up with letters and the occasional phone call for a few years but eventually more and more time passed between the calls and letters until they just stopped altogether.

"I've just been distracted lately. Killian has nothing to do with it. We're...friends." Emma replied.

Ruby snorted, her disbelief of Emma's summation obvious. "Lies. So what is actually happening is you're distracted because of Killian, because you like him. And it's freaking you out because you 'don't do relationships anymore', your words not mine, which is your prerogative. He's clearly attracted to you Emma and wants to be more than just friends."

"He said we could be friends." Emma argued, realizing she sounded like a child.

Ruby sighed and Emma could tell she was trying to figure out how to change tactics. "I think you're scared."

Emma hated to be called scared, or more importantly, she hated to be called out on it. Her upbringing didn't didn't allow for her to be scared or weak. She quickly learned being, or at least pretending, to be confident and strong meant she wouldn't get picked on for being the new kid at school or being the kid with the thrift-store clothing or being the kid who never had enough money to purchase a snack at lunch.

She fiddled with the beer bottle in her hand, pressing her thumbnail under the label and digging until she got it to detach from the bottle. Carefully she continued to peel the label off in one piece, stopping and nudging against the adhesive when it became stuck. It was an avoidance technique she learned early on, stalling and pretended to be interested in something else to hopefully avoid a conversation she didn't want to have. But she knew that Ruby would be patient, letting Emma stall and gather her thoughts, but there was no way she was going to drop the conversation entirely.

She thought back to when she first arrived in town, quickly securing a job at the auto shop and how easily Ruby had become a permanent fixture in her life, pushing her when she needed it and backing off when she knew it was necessary for Emma to become introverted for a while. Rubbing the label of the bottle back and forth between her fingers, Emma realized it would be a lot easier for Ruby to understand her hesitation toward Killian if she knew about her past.

Despite how painful it was to dredge up the unpleasant memories, Emma took a long swig of her beer and started talking. "My last relationship ended badly. Really badly. I thought we were going to get engaged, get an apartment together in the city and then I found out it was all a lie. He had been lying to me from the beginning. I don't do well with being betrayed. He wasn't my first bad relationship but I decided he was going to be my last. I don't need a boyfriend, a fiance or a husband. I'm perfectly fine on my own." Emma finally replied, filling her friend in on the bare-bones version of what happened with Walsh back in Texas.

Ruby looked as though she wanted to argue but restrained herself, taking another sip of her beer and waiting for Emma to continue.

"I've learned to read people pretty well over the years. The whole knowing if people are lying is just part of it. I can typically tell if someone is a good or bad person by just spending a few minutes with them. The last guy blind-sided me and I realized it was like that with all of my relationships. Once I let my guard down far enough to really care about someone, I can no longer tell when they're lying or what they really want from me. But Killian is different; I can't tell. There's times where he's all saucy smirks, innuendo-laden lines and quirked eyebrows. I've dealt with guys like that before. They know they're attractive so they flirt with anything female that comes across their path, playing up the game of how good they are in bed and how they'll never leave a woman wanting, but they're useless. They're nothing but vapid wastes of space in attractive bodies. But then there's this other side of him. He named his dog Brinkley from You've Got Mail. Seriously, the damn dog is named after a chick flick. That he admitted to watching! And clearly remembered enough to name his dog after! Then he goes and learns how to make hot chocolate and sat outside of the restaurant with it so I could try it, not even knowing that I worked there for sure or if I'd even be there then!" Emma huffed, taking a swig of her beer before barreling on.

"He had a brother. He was killed by a drunk driver in Connecticut which is why Killian moved down here. He told me that, voluntarily. Shared that with a stranger! You know what happened at the restaurant last night and I shared _food_ with him! He was Mr. innuendo the other night and he's looked at me like he wanted to kiss me more than once but then he goes and says he wants to be friends. What the fuck, Ruby?"

Ruby grinned, relieved her friend finally shared what was going on. "Alright word vomit, let's go over this piece by piece okay? Not every guy is out to hurt you. I get it, you've had shitty relationships before, and so have I, but a few bad ones doesn't mean that you need to close yourself off forever. Vibrators can't hold a conversation, Emma." Ruby said bluntly causing her friend to blush. "Look, I don't know him very well, but even just from what you've said, I don't think he's a bad guy. He was so entranced with you at Betsy's that first day I couldn't believe it. Yeah, he might be a pretty boy but they're not all 'vapid wastes of space in attractive bodies' as you so nicely put it. Victor is pretty but he has substance too, you know."

"I know Killian has substance! He perfectly described why I like being near the ocean and it sounded like something from a damn poetry book and it didn't sound fake. But he still flip flops back and forth between substance guy and useless flirt." Emma argued.

Ruby thought for a moment before replying. "If he wasn't flirting with you, would it matter? Or does it only matter because it makes it harder for you to read him? Do you like him? Do you want to be just friends or do you want more from him, previous bad relationship issues aside. You at least find him stupidly attractive right?"

Emma rolled her eyes in response to the last question.

Ruby laughed. "Hey, I had to check. Now come on, answer the rest of the questions."

Emma sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess just because it makes it harder to read him. I don't dislike him. It's better for us just to be friends. I don't do relationships. It's too small of a town just to have a fling because if it goes wrong, then I have to run into him repeatedly until October."

"I think you're making excuses and the fear of your previous relationships is controlling what you do now. Did you ever have a rebound after that relationship?" Ruby asked.

Emma winced. A rebound wasn't physically possible at the time and when she could have had one, the interest was just gone. It was easier to swear off relationships and men for the time being. "No, there wasn't a rebound."

Ruby's eyebrows raised but she didn't push Emma for further details. "What if it's a fling that doesn't go wrong? What if you end up happy? What if it becomes more?"

"He's a tourist. His lease ends in October. The only person who thinks he wants to be more than friends with me is you so this conversation is pointless. There isn't going to be a fling because you don't have flings with friends. " Emma said.

"You stayed after your first lease ended. He could too." Ruby pointed out, only pausing the conversation long enough to answer the door and take the pizza from the delivery girl. "I think you're the only person who doesn't see that he wants more. Or, more likely, you're just using that as an excuse because then you can pretend to just be friends with him and not deal with your feelings."

"So you think he lied when he said he wanted to be friends with me?" Emma asked, beginning to wonder if she had really lost her touch entirely to be able to read people.

"I think he told you want he thought would make you feel more comfortable. I think he gets you. I mean, no one told him that just showing up at Coconut's to play the piano make you suspicious, right? He wanted you to know first, not to be surprised. And like you said, he learned how to make your favorite drink. Do you know of any friends who do that right off the bat?"

"Point taken. But that's part of the problem too. It's like he can read me so well sometimes. I'm supposed to do able to do that. Not him. I don't like it." Emma admitted.

Ruby burst out laughing.

"What is so funny?" Emma asked.

"Oh just that one of the most cliche things a woman says she wants is a man who understands her and can anticipate her needs and here you have this guy that can do that and you can barely stomach the idea of being friends with him because of it." Ruby replied.

Emma scowled and decided to focus on eating her slice of pizza instead of responding to her friend. Ruby followed suit, the pair of them making a sizable dent in the large pizza.

"You sure you don't want him in a friends with benefits situation? You'd probably be much less prickly with multiple orgasms every day, you know." Ruby teased, determined to make progress with the conversation one way or another.

"Ruby!"

Ruby snorted. "What? You've admitted you're attractive to him. I'm fairly certain, like practically positive, that man is not going to be bad in bed."

"I thought you were supposed to be helpful. No relationship. No fling. " Emma frowned.

"Fine. I'll let the relationship part of it go for now, but I reserve the right to think you're a moron for not taking that man to bed. I don't know if I think he's an idiot or a genius for telling you what makes you comfortable but I think at the very least you guys should be friends. And then I can get to know him and if my thoughts change, I'll let you know. So do you think you can be friends with him? It would be really awesome to have someone else to hang out when it's me, you and Victor right?"

"I guess." Emma conceded. The remaining slices of the pizza were quickly finished and Ruby stood up, tossing her bag over her shoulder.

"Don't spend the entire night over analyzing everything Emma. It's not going to do you any good." Ruby said, knowing it was exactly what Emma was going to do anyway.

As expected, Emma replayed their conversation over in her head later that night as she laid in bed, sleep eluding her restless mind. For as much as she hated to talk about emotions and feelings, the conversation with Ruby had helped. At the very least it was nice to be able to vent to someone about Killian's wishy-washy actions.

Even the thought of a relationship still caused her to panic, fear creeping up the back of her spine, her fingers clenching and a thin line of perspiration breaking out on her forehead. She knew not every relationship would be like that, that people were capable of having normal relationships not built on a fragile tower of lies. In her heart she hoped one day she could have that but she knew that she still wasn't ready. She had more important things to worry about initially than Walsh's betrayal and then found it easier to just pretend it didn't happen. Running away to the beach town had helped, allowing her to not just physically distance herself but to shove away those emotions she didn't have time to deal with. The more time that passed, the easier it was to ignore. But by never dealing with them properly, ever reminder was just as raw and painful as if his betrayal was only a day ago.

She tried to think of the ocean, to focus on the repetitive motion of the waves to calm herself but her mind was too anxious. She needed the real thing.

Slipping on her shoes and a hoodie, she grabbed her keys and headed to her car. She decided to go to the main beach, knowing it and the small main strip would be deserted at this time of night. She pulled her Bug into the parking spot closest to the beach and made her way to the wooden path that lead to the beach.


	12. Author's Note and Preview

**I'm back! Thank you so much for remaining patient with me while I tried to make some headway with this story. In re-reading from the beginning, I realized I'm really dragging out this slow burn between Killian and Emma. I'd apologize, but I kind of love it. Fair warning, there's a bit of one step forward, two steps back coming up, but we'll get there.**

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Chapter 12: Killian

"Emma?" He nearly whispered not wanting to startle her.

He hadn't been able to sleep and hoped a trip to stare out at the vast expanse of ocean would help calm his mind enough to get some rest that evening. He had been standing near the shoreline when he heard a car pull up and the engine shut off. Curious to know who was coming to the beach so late at night (or early in the morning, depending on how you looked at it), he walked toward the boardwalk. A shadow of a figure was coming down the other path towards the water. The cloud blocking the moon passed, it's light and the weak lampposts from the boardwalk provided just enough illumination for him to see a few strands of wavy blonde hair peeking out from under the hood of a sweatshirt. Killian immediately knew it was her and debated on if he should make himself known.

She was turned slightly to the right, her face tilted up toward the moon as he crossed the beach in her direction. When he was still a few feet away, he whispered her name, hoping the sounds of the ocean wouldn't carry it away. She still jumped at the sound, turning to face him. He watched as surprise crossed her features.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Another bout of insomnia I suppose. I thought this might help." He replied, hand gesturing out toward the ocean.

"I thought you watched movies when you couldn't sleep?"

He smiled, pleased she had remembered their conversation. "Usually I do. Tonight it just seemed as though the only might be the only cure, so I came here. And why are you here so late, Swan?"

"Same. I can't sleep."

They both remained silent for a few minutes, watching the foamy whitecaps of the waves crash into the shore only illuminated by the light of the moon. He heard her sigh and watched out of the corner of his eye as she twisted her fingers together.

"Do you wish to talk about it, love?" He asked softly.

She shook her head almost immediately. "No thanks." She replied then hesitated a moment. "Do you?"

He could tell this was new for her, asking someone to share their feelings. He gave her a sad smile. "You'll think I'm daft and perhaps even have me committed to the looney bin."

"Wouldn't be the first person I've thought that about." She replied honestly.

killian snorted but decided to tell her anyway. "Since my brother passed, there were still times where we would have conversations in my mind but it was as though he was still here. I could smell his cologne, see his face. Tonight I realized I couldn't remember the sound of his voice." He explained.

"I'm sorry. I can't even imagine." She said softly. "Does it help? The ocean, I mean."

He nodded. "Liam and I have a lot of pleasant memories centered around the ocean."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence again until Killian noticed Emma fidgeting with her fingers out of the corner of his eye. As he was about to ask her what was wrong, she spoke. "Are you tired?"

"Not in the slightest. You?" He replied, curious to see where she was headed with that.

"Nope." She kept her gaze focused out to the ocean. "I have a blanket in my car. Would you want to sit here a while?" Her words came out in a jumbled mess but Killian was able to make the out.

"I'd be honored to spend more time with you, Swan." He replied sincerely.

She brushed off his request to accompany her to her car. _What kind of gentleman allows a woman to walk around unescorted at this time of night?_ He argued. _We're the only people here, Jones_ she had countered right back with a sharp look that kept him rooted to the spot instead of following her.

"See, the boogeyman didn't get me." She called, coming down the path with a red plaid blanket.

"I don't like you convincing me to indulge in bad form, love." He teased.

She snorted. "Really? I thought that'd be right up your alley."

He sat down on the blanket next to her, close enough that their thighs brushed against each other. Ducking his head until his lips were almost grazing her hair, he lowered his voice much more than necessary. "A gentleman always partakes in good form."

He couldn't stop the smirk from spreading across her lips as he watched her spine arch before she turned to glare at him. "I can go to another beach..." She threatened but he knew she was just teasing him.

"So that's what you are then? A gentleman?" She asked.

"Well, love I'm hardly a pirate." He replied.

Emma laughed. "Obviously not. No eye patch and Brinkley's a little too large to hang out on your shoulder."

The silence between them returned once again and he allowed his mind to wander if she'd be as interested in spending a day at the beach with him or if this was easier for her to do in the middle of the night when no one else was around. He watched as she slid her hands into the opposite sleeves, rubbing her hands against her arms. "You're cold."

She shook her head slightly. "I'm fine."

Her stubborn nature intrigued him. He waited until she shivered again, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. "Are you averse to all gentlemanly behavior?" He asked lifting his arm for her to move closer.

"I'm not used to it." She said honestly but did not move closer and a sudden urge to punch every man who had not treated her as she should have been welled up inside him.

"I'd like the opportunity to change that." He replied seriously. When she met his eyes with a surprised look on her face he couldn't help but frown that she seemed to think she was unworthy of even the simplest of gentlemanly behavior. Bumping his shoulder against hers, he grinned at her. "Come on, love. I don't bite. Unless asked."

She rolled her eyes at him but scooted close enough that he was able to drape his arm over her shoulder. It wasn't but a moment later that she angled her head to look at him. "What are you? A human heater?"

He laughed. "Just warm-blooded I suppose."

He didn't know how long they sat like that, facing the ocean in the chilly late spring air but she eventually relaxed, her body resting against his. Despite his seated position, his eyes began to get heavy. He might have dozed off for a moment or two but was startled awake again when he felt her tense and pull away. His eyes shot open to see the beam of a flashlight in front of them.

"Hey!" A male voice yelled. "The beach is closed! You can't be here."

Before Killian could reply, Emma was on her feet, heading toward the light. "Will, it's me, Emma."

The flashlight beam neared and Killian realized it was a police officer. "Ah. Hello Emma, who do you have here with you?"

Killian stood and stepped forward. "Killian Jones." He answered.

"You the one that played piano last weekend?" The officer asked.

"Yes, sir." Killian replied.

The other man stepped forward extending his hand which Killian took and shook. "Nice to meet ya. Will Scarlett. You're a good player. Emma and I have a bit of an agreement, but it is technically illegal to be on the beach overnight, so just don't make it a habit, alright?"

"Of course." Killian replied.

Will looked between the two of them and smiled at Killian. "Have a good night, well, morning you two."

Even in the moonlight he could see Emma flush. After Will left she turned to face him. "I guess we should call it a night."

He nodded, picking up the blanket and following her back to her car. "I suppose I should let you get some sleep." He wanted nothing more but to spend the rest of the early morning hours with her but he didn't know what her schedule was for the day.

Emma nodded. "Sometimes I miss that there's not a 24 hour diner around here. Would really help on nights like these."

"Do you often spend the early morning hours on the beach with men?" He teased.

He watched her hesitate as though she were considering whether to confide in him. "First time I've ever had company." She replied finally.

It made him appreciate the time they spent together even more. "Seeing as we both suffer from the same nocturnal issues, perhaps I could join you another time."

She flashed him a small smile. "Perhaps."

They stood awkwardly for a few moments. Killian wondered if she was remembering the last time they stood at her car, when she had kissed him on the cheek, like he was at the moment. By the faint pink stain on her cheeks he assumed she was but didn't want to bring it up for fear of making her uncomfortable. He suspected it was not a common action for her. Finally, he reached for her hand, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles before he brought her hand to his mouth. "I hope you have a pleasant morning, Emma" he said softly before pressing his lips to the back of her hand.

Killian didn't let go at first and was surprised to find Emma didn't rush to pull away, instead leaving her fingers in his grasp for another moment as she studied his face. "You too Killian." She replied with a smile before slowly extracting her fingers from his.

A few hours later Killian's hand came up, smacking himself in the forehead. At the noise Brinkley turned to look at him. "I still don't have her bloody phone number!" Killian whined to the dog.

Brinkley placed his paw on Killian's arm and whined, in what Killian could only assume was a sympathetic gesture.

To his dismay he didn't run into Emma once during the week. He debated texting Ruby to see if she would give him Emma's number, but then he would need to explain how he had Ruby's number and he wasn't quite ready to let Emma in on how her friend helped with the hot chocolate encounter.

On Thursday David called him to confirm he could play piano again that upcoming weekend and Killian quickly agreed, hoping Emma would have a shift at the restaurant.

-/-

He found himself sitting on the same barstool as the weekend before after his shift. This time, however, he had the foresight to request something to eat before he stopped playing, ensuring he'd have dinner before the kitchen closed for the night.

Ruby had talked him into some other local beer, this one a bit darker, reminding him of the beers back in Ireland. Before he could get too lost in thought about his native country, a waitress appeared, placing his order down in front of him. The pasta choices at the restaurant appealed to him but he didn't want to eat something so heavy late at night and opted for the rum and pepper marinated chicken sandwich. Ruby passed by, depositing a glass of water with lemon in front of him.

A few moments later she headed over to him again. The restaurant was emptying out quickly and he noticed Emma saying goodnight to her last table. "So Jones, you any good at arcade games?"

Killian nodded, holding up a finger to indicate that he would respond to her once he finished chewing. "Perhaps, although I prefer the classics. Why do you ask?"

"I let out my frustrations on zombie games at the Playland arcade in Ocean City. Victor, that's my boyfriend, unexpectedly got off work tomorrow and can come with us. I wouldn't want Emma to feel like the third wheel." Ruby said, giving him a sly grin.

"So you wish for it to be a double date?" Killian asked.

"Do _you_ want it to be a date?" Ruby countered.

"I'm not averse to calling it as such if Emma is okay with that." Killian replied slowly.

"If Emma is okay with what?" Emma asked, coming up to stand next to him at the bar. Her eyes darted suspiciously between him and Ruby.

Killian faltered. He didn't want to impose on her plans with her friend, even if it was meant to alleviate any third wheel symptoms she might feel when out with Ruby and her boyfriend. He looked to Ruby helplessly.

"Victor got the day off tomorrow." Ruby started.

"So you're bailing on me? It's fine. I have stuff I can do around the cottage." Emma interrupted.

"No, Victor wants to come with us but I didn't want to make you feel like the third wheel so I asked Killian if he wanted to join us." Ruby finished.

Emma's face hardened and Killian's lips parted, intending to tell Emma that he didn't need to accompany them and that they shouldn't have put her on the spot like that, but she spoke first, her face softening slightly as she met his eyes. "No, that's fine."

He watched as her gaze flickered back to Ruby, offering her a challenging look. The brunette simply raised her eyebrows but kept quiet and Killian felt as though they were having a silent conversation he wasn't privy to. Emma's eyes turned back to his. "I'll drive?" She asked.

He blinked at her a few times before his mouth was able to catch up with his frantic brain and reply. "If you wish."

Emma held out her hand. "Phone? You can text me your address."

Fumbling in his pocket he pulled out his cell and handed it to her. She quickly added herself as a contact and handed it back to him. "One o'clock okay?"

"That's fine, love." Killian said, feeling impressed he had managed to string three words together into a sentence.

"Dave said I could leave early tonight. See you guys tomorrow." Emma said and turned to head out of the restaurant. Dumbly Killian watched as she retreated from the bar.

Eventually Ruby broke the thick silence hanging between them. "Did that just happen?"

"I think so." Killian replied.

-/-

Despite the fact that he woke up with the sunrise, Killian held off until the late morning before texting his address to Emma.

 _Thought you might be bailing on us. ;)_ Her reply came a few minutes later and left Killian with his eyebrows raised and mouth open in surprise.

 _That would be bad form, love._

Nearly two hours later Killian folded himself into the tiny front seat of her bug, wondering if he should have insisted on driving for adequate leg space but the voice in the back of his head quickly reminded him that because of her insistence to drive, he now had her phone number and she had his address. If he was luckily, and he hoped that he was, this new development could lead to phone calls and maybe even visits.

"Will Brinkley be okay without you?" Emma asked. "He seems a bit...attached."

Killian laughed. "I assume he might have a mild case of separation anxiety but only when I am doing something fun without him. As though he knows. Menial errands? He's content to sit on the couch and watch television. Going to Ocean City where there will be things to sniff and dropped food to scarf down? He's downright miserable to be staying in."

"I'm sorry did you just say your dog watches tv? Does he have a favorite show?" Emma snorted.

"Animal Planet, obviously." Killian deadpanned, then sighed, his pointer and middle finger coming up behind his ear to scratch at the area. "When he was a puppy I used to feel bad leaving him home alone so I would turn on the television or the radio for noise. It's become habit. Go on Swan, you can laugh at me."

She smiled. "No, I think it's cute."

"He actually really likes My Cat From Hell, Jeopardy and Ancient Aliens, I think it's the voices." Killian confessed.

This time Emma laughed. "You have a trivia obsessed dog who has a soft spot for angry cats and who believes in aliens?"

"Well, when you put it that way..." Killian trailed off not sure how to explain that yes, if Brinkley were human he'd think that's exactly what he would be like. "Does it makes it worse if I tell you he hates the 'yup' man from Storage Wars and also Guy Fieri? Hence my logic on the voices aspect of it."

Emma burst out laughing. "No," she replied trying to catch her breath. "That just makes it so much better. I'm a fan of anyone who hates Guy."

"There is something rather disturbing about that man's hair and the most ridiculous phrases that come from his mouth." Killian said.

"Totally agree. I'm kinda curious to know what other shows Brinkley likes and dislikes." Emma said, then brought her hand to her mouth as though she didn't meant for the last phrase to escape her lips.

"I'm quite sure Brinkley would be overjoyed to watch television with you. Should you ever find yourself in need of a couch potato companion, you know where to find him." Killian replied trying to keep the subject light.

"You too, right?" She asked softly.

"Me too?" He echoed unsure of what she was asking.

"You'd come along too." She clarified.

"Ah, yes. Seeing how Brinkley has yet to evolve to a version with opposable thumbs, I would need to chauffeur him to your place. I suppose I could run errands if you wished to be alone with him." Killian answered.

Her right hand left its place from the wheel only long enough to stretch out and smack against his chest. "Don't be a smart ass, Jones."

He bowed his head. "My sincerest apologies for annoying the lady with my sarcastic quips," he replied as though he were talking to someone royal.

"What kind of arcade games do you like?" She asked, changing the subject.

"The classics I suppose. I'm not a fan of the zombie shooting games like Ruby mentioned. I have been known to play a mean game of skeeball on occasion." He answered.

Bringing her yellow bug to a stop at the red light, she turned her face to look at him, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I bet you aren't better than me."

"Is that a challenge, love?" He questioned.

Emma nodded, returning her eyes back to the road.

"You're on. Care to wager?" He asked, grinning. Killian couldn't remember the last time he challenged a woman to anything.

"Wager what?" She asked warily.

"Hmm. Well, I think we should choose our own prizes. If I win, I'd like to have Thrashers fries with you. You did say they're right on the boardwalk, right love?"

"Yeah, they are. You want me to eat fries with you if you win? That's it?" Emma asked clearly surprised.

"Perhaps we could sit on a bench to enjoy them and people watch. Or ocean watch, but yes, that's it. What do you want if you win?" He asked.

"I...I have no idea. Can I think about it?" Emma asked him. He noticed the way her fingers tightening around the steering wheel as she replied.

Killian frowned. He wanted to know why she was reacting that way but knew he couldn't come right out and ask her. He could only hope one day she would reveal the stories that caused her physical reactions.

He lowered his voice, hoping it would calm her. "Of course, love. Although," he offered her a wicked grin. "I don't intend to lose so it will likely be pointless." He finished, challenging her.

And just like that the spark was back in her eyes, the desire to win overcoming all else evident in her posture as her fingers loosened and tapped lightly over the wheel. "Be prepared to have your ass handed to you."

-/-

"Four games to warm up. Played at opposite ends. No copying the others technique. Then four more games to compete. The one with the highest total combined from those games is the winner. Sound fair?" She asked, jingling her handful of quarters.

Killian nodded. "I hope you're hungry for fries." He challenged.

She laughed. "You're going to lose. Now go to the other end."

He obliged, but caught her watching him as he rolled his neck and then made windmill motions with his arms to loosen up the muscles. She was sly about it, barely turning her head in his direction as she did her own arm stretches but it couldn't stop Killian from from exaggerating the swagger in his walk up to the game, swinging his arm back and landing the ball directly into the 50 point marker.

He smirked. This was a piece of cake. He'd have Emma Swan eating fries with him in no time.


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry for not posting a chapter yesterday! I overslept in the morning and then there was an accident on the way home that made my 24 mile commute take 2 freaking hours. Anyway, enjoy!**

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Chapter 13: Emma

Emma sized up Killian out of the corner of her eye. She knew she was breaking her own rule in doing so, but it never hurt to know if the competition had any skills. Pretending to be absorbed in her own stretches and mental pep talk, she watched as he rolled his neck from around in circles then stretched his arms forward and backward, twisting from side to side. He finished his stretching with a few windmills of both arms in each direction.

From her distance she shouldn't have been able to make out the smirk on his face, but she still saw and it quickly wondered if she had been caught. Before she could react further, he rolled the ball up the lane, landing it squarely in the 50-point marker. Emma's eyebrows raised. _Beginners luck_ she told herself and set out to do some practicing of her own.

When she finished her four practice games she called Killian back over. "Ready to lose Jones?" She teased.

"You may think that just because I am a gentleman that I'll allow you to win simply because you are the fairer sex, but please be forewarned Swan, I expect this to be a real competition and won't go easy on you." He teased back, grinning when her eyebrows shot up at the fairer sex comment.

"Let's play." She said with a goodnatured roll of her eyes.

Their first round was very close. She beat him by only ten points, coming in with a final of 390 to his 380. "It's ten points Swan, we can hardly call you victorious yet, seeing as there are still three more rounds." He said.

"Wait, are you guys competing in skeeball?" Ruby asked, coming up behind them.

"Yep." Emma said. "Highest combined score of four games is the winner."

Just as they were about to start the next round, Ruby interrupted. "Hey Killian."

When he turned to look at her, he found her thumbs in her ears, fingers waggling and her nose scrunched up. "You're gonna lose. You're gonna lose. You stink." She singsonged.

Emma rolled her eyes but couldn't stop from laughing at the perplexed expression on Killian's face. "She's imitating-"

But he cut her off. "Stilwell Angel from _A League of Their Own_. But that is where you are wrong, Ruby. I'm gonna win!"

Ruby's hands dropped, her mouth following suit. She elbowed Victor who had come to stand beside her. "He gets movie quotes! You don't even get half of them!" She complained.

Victor shrugged. "Great. Now you have someone to quote movie lines to, but shush, we have a competition to watch." He turned to Killian. "Sorry man but my money's on Emma."

They tied the second round, each with 400 points. Although it wasn't much of a lead Emma was still thrilled to be ten points ahead of Killian but then she lost the third round by thirty points. She glared last set of wooden balls as they clacked down the lane. She refused to lose.

The final game brought their scores to a tie. "One more game to settle it up?" She asked Killian who was looking rather pleased with himself.

He slowly shook his head, smiling at her. "I'm quite alright with calling it a tie."

"But then there's no winner. Who gets their prize?" Emma asked confused.

"There doesn't always need to be a clear winner or loser, Swan. We could each get what we chose." Killian said with a shrug.

Emma thought about it for a moment. She was hungry and it was a tradition for her to get Thrashers nearly every time she came to the boardwalk so eating them with Killian wouldn't be a big deal. "But I never chose anything."

"I'm a patient man Swan. I have all the time in the world." He replied with an easy grin.

Emma looked to Ruby for her opinion. Ruby shrugged. "So you don't get to taunt him for the immediate future about winning. It's not even summer yet, you guys can play again and if you-when you, I mean, win, you can tease him then."

Emma bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Fine." She said, turning to Killian. "We can call it a tie. Just know that I'll kick your ass next time."

He grinned at her. "Ah, so there will be a next time? Very well. Now, come on love, I believe you have some fries to introduce me to." He held out his hand to her.

She hesitated for a moment before taking it, linking her arm in his. "You coming with us?" She asked Ruby and Victor.

"I still have some aliens and zombies to destroy. I'll call you when we're done and we can meet up then?" Ruby replied winking at Emma.

Emma knew Ruby was only doing it because she wanted Emma and Killian to have some alone time together. _Like we didn't drive together! We have the whole ride back too!_ Emma mentally yelled at her friend. "Okay."

Ruby winked at Emma and again took Victor's arm, heading off in the other direction. When she got a few feet away she stopped and yelled. "Jones! You're killin' me, Smalls."

Kilian turned them back in Ruby's direction and frowned at her unimpressed. "Too easy. _The Sandlot_."

"Just checking! Have fun!" Ruby called over her shoulder.

"So I finally get to enjoy these much-sought-after fries. I'm rather excited." Killian said to Emma.

"You should be." She smiled. "They're worth the wait." She indicated to the already long line of people milling around the storefront.

"As most good things are." He replied lowering his voice and looking at her.

Emma's stomach twisted. She knew he was flirting with her again but she didn't know how to respond, to tell him that he was wrong. She wasn't worth the wait. She wasn't good enough. Emma knew it wasn't the time or the place to have a conversation like that so she offered him a small smile instead. "Yeah." She hoped he didn't pick up on how small she sounded in her reply.

"Do they put the vinegar directly on them or is it optional?" He asked and Emma mentally let out a sigh of relief.

"It's on the side." She answered, happy the line was moving quickly. "Do you want a share a bucket or do you want your own?" His eyebrow raised at her and she got the sneaking feeling Ruby had filled him in on her unwillingness to share food. A family of four was walking past them. She pointed to the large bucket the father was carrying. "That's a large."

His eyebrow went up again at the large portion and he muttered something that sounded like _damn Americans_. "How ravenous does skeeball make you?" He inquired.

"Hungry enough. I usually get a small for myself." She said, inhaling deeply as they moved closer to the stand emitting the mouthwatering smell of fried potato sticks.

"If you're willing to share the delicious potato concoctions with me, I would think a medium would suffice?" He replied.

Fries procured, Emma led Killian over to a bench and flipped the back of it, making it so they could face the ocean. "Ocean okay?"

He nodded, sliding next to her on the bench, the bucket of fries between them. "Anything else I need to know before trying them?"

"No, come on. I want to know what you think." Emma had already shoved a handful of fries into her mouth in the short distance from the stand to the bench. Her impatience increased as he looked over the bucket as though he was trying to select the perfect fry. "They're better when they're hot, you know." She muttered under her breath.

Killian chuckled, eyes lifting from the bucket to meet hers. "Duly noted: Emma Swan only possesses enough patience to fill up the tip of her pinkie finger."

She rolled her eyes at him. "That's not true!"

He shrugged as though it were easier to just agree with her and resumed his search for a fry. As though he knew her patience only decreased with each second that passed by, he let his eyes slowly peruse over the french fry selection before finally choosing one and taking a small bite.

Emma had to restrain herself from shoving the rest of the fry into his mouth. She found herself almost desperately wanting to know if he liked them, impatiently but hesitantly hoping he would love them as much as she did so the swell of pride of being the one to introduce them to him could flow through her. It was not something she'd ever experienced before. Walsh had been the one to introduce new foods to her and as much as she hated to remember any of their time together, she realized now why his face would light up when she told him she liked something he had wanted her to try. Lost in her own thoughts, Emma missed that Killian popped the rest of the fry into his mouth until he reached into the bucket and grabbed another. Her fingertips drummed on the denim covering her thigh as she waited for him to respond.

Killian placed his hand over her tapping fingertips causing her to instantly stop. "I believe I have tested your patience long enough, Swan. I am most pleased with the taste of the fries."

"Most pleased? What the hell does that even mean?" She spit out.

Killian laughed. "Does everyone get under your skin this easily? I'm just messing with you Swan. The fries are delicious. A bit unexpected with the sourness of the vinegar but it's actually quite common to dress potatoes as such in England."

Emma fumbled for words. "You mean you've had this before?" She found herself feeling strangely upset that she hadn't been the first introduce him to the combination of potatoes and vinegar.

"Not exactly. The traditional fish and chips dish is served with malt vinegar, however those fries are much thicker, I believe they're referred to as steak fries here so the vinegar isn't absorbed the same way." He explained.

"Oh. I didn't know, I've never had fish and chips." Emma said, frowning.

It was as though Killian caught on immediately. "Love, please don't think you aren't introducing me to something new. The concept of frying food and adding vinegar is the same, but I can assure you the tastes are quite different. Malt vinegar is served with fish and chips which does not taste the same as the vinegar served with these fries. I also think they use a different type of oil to fry them in."

"So you like them?" Emma eventually asked.

He grinned at her. "Yes, Swan, the fries are delicious, but as you said, they're much better hot, so let's enjoy them as such yeah?" He grabbed a few fries and shoved them in his mouth, making an "mmm" noise to indicate how much he liked them.

Emma laughed, rolling her eyes at him before grabbing her own handful of fries.

A few minutes later her phone beeped, indicating a text from Ruby. She replied quickly and then turned to Killian. "They're going to meet us here. You don't mind walking up the boardwalk right?"

"Not at all love." He answered.

Ruby couldn't keep the large grin off her face when she saw that Emma and Killian were sharing a bucket of fries. Emma shot her a warning look, indicating that she better keep her mouth shut. They headed up the boardwalk toward the numbered streets.

They had only made it two blocks when Killian commented on Ruby's scowl at a large building housing condos. "Oh no, now you're started it." Victor replied laughing.

"Ruby stayed there when it was a falling down hotel." Emma explained, but Ruby cut in.

"Do they have anything where you're from Jones, where graduating high school seniors do something?" She asked.

He shook his head, realizing she meant more than just getting together and getting drunk after graduation.

"So here, they have this thing called Senior Week. Pretty much any high school kid that lives in Maryland or Delaware, even if they live near the beaches, comes to the ocean for a week after the graduate high school. It's practically a rite of passage, you graduate, you're an adult, you come to the beach to have a good time. The town has all of these events planned to keep the kids out of trouble and whatnot. This monstrosity," she sneered, pointing to the newer building, "used to be this old hotel called the Belmont-Hearne which had been around the early 1900's. Historic, old-school Ocean City. It was old and dilapidated and there wasn't a damn fancy thing about it, but I stayed there for senior week in a two bedroom apartment with a big ass balcony that overlooked the boardwalk. There was a six-inch gap between the door frame and the step leading onto the balcony. You had to enter a bedroom to get to it. The a/c in the window barely worked and the water pressure in the shower was shit. The pillows on the couch were ancient and misshapen and the cabinets in the kitchen stuck from the salt air, but it was amazing. This area, in the summer is really the heart of the boardwalk. There are hundreds of people passing by and from that balcony, you could watch the people on the rides down at the pier or look right out at the ocean. They weren't as strict with the drinking back then so we used to plant our asses on that balcony, red Solo cups full of our drinks and yell down to our friends as we watched them walk by. I loved staying there so much, I actually got a group of friends together the next summer and we stayed there again, in that same apartment. I wanted to make it a tradition, you know. Something to show to my kids, if I ever had kids, ya know? But then a year or two later, it closed up and was torn down and that big ass tower was built. Historic Ocean City is beautiful and they're destroying it. Trying to erase the past, get rid of the old hotels and houses, the charm that makes the historic part of Ocean City beautiful and replace it with fancy, modern condos reeking of money."

Although she had heard the story a few times, Emma never failed to find herself captivated in Ruby's words, feeling slightly jealous. She never had that type of experience, having such great memories somewhere to still be physically angry more than a decade later.

"It is much more common over here, to replace the old with the new instead of embracing the history." Killian replied, pulling Emma out of her own head. "I think you'd quite enjoy a visit to Ireland Ruby. There's more than enough old history there to entertain you."

Ruby smiled. "I've always wanted to go there. Do you have any room left after eating those fries? My damn story made me nostalgic and now I want to eat what became a poor teenagers daily meal back then. At least that's still there."

Emma groaned, her stomach full of fries but Killian nodded. "I suppose I could eat a bit more. What is it?"

Ruby pointed to two stores across from them. "The Wrapper and a Polish Water Ice. It was like six bucks for both and you'd be full for hours. Totally came in handy at the end of the week when we were running out of money."

"The Wrapper?" Killian asked, confused.

Emma decided to chime in, happy that Ruby had introduced her to the specialty years ago. "It's pretzel dough formed into a log, stuffed with practically anything you can think of. Cheese, pizza toppings, hamburger, steak, fruits even."

"That sounds delicious, love. Think you have room to split one with me?" Killian asked.

Ruby squealed then slapped her hand to her mouth. "Sorry! Sorry! I just...Emma sharing food. This seriously amuses me to no end."

Emma rolled her eyes at her friend then turned back to Killian. "Chicken, bacon and cheese."

Killian looked at Ruby. "I'd love to assist in your indulgence of old memories, but perhaps we could save the water ice for another time? Perhaps when it's a bit warmer?"

Ruby nodded. "Fair enough. Come on, let's get in line."

Killian ordered the chicken, bacon and cheese wrapper as Emma had requested and asked them to slice in half. Killian took a bite immediately, knowing Emma and Ruby would be impatiently waiting for his take on the food.

Hot melty cheese and the saltiness of bacon exploded on his tongue, followed by the firm bite of chicken and the soft, chewy pretzel dough. "Oh, that's quite good." At the arch in Emma's eyebrow he added, "Not as good as the fries though."

-\\-

"So what did you think of Ocean City?" Emma asked as she turned her car onto the main highway.

"It's quite the lively town, I'm assuming it only gets much busier in the summer." Killian replied.

"Oh you have no idea. There's times where you can't find anywhere at all to park down there and everywhere is just overrun with people." Emma replied.

"I'm taking it as you avoid the town then?" Killian asked, already curious as to when they could go back and play skeeball against each other again.

"Sometimes. I mean, it can take over an hour to get all the way down here in the summer because there's so many cars and you hit all of the lights. So it's hard to plan anything if you're on a time limit, but I don't entirely avoid it. Ruby and I have went to the arcades in Rehoboth, but they're just not as a good. " Emma answered.

"Ah, good to know. It would be quite a shame if I had to wait until the fall to beat you in skeeball." Killian teased.

"You're not gonna beat me. Plus I thought you were leaving then." Emma said, then winced. They had never discussed how long Killian would be in town, she just assumed that he'd leave at the end of his lease.

"Leaving? Oh, you mean because my lease ends?" Killian asked, perplexed. Emma nodded, not sure of what to say. "Actually love, I rather like the town. I have no definite plans to leave come autumn."

"Oh." Emma replied softly.

"Trying to get rid of me already, Swan?" Killian teased.

"No, I… I just figured you'd be here for the season is all." Emma said finally.

"Ah ha! So you do wish to keep me around!" He said, smirking.

"What?"

"You said you don't wish to get rid of me." Killian explained gleefully.

Emma snorted. "I didn't say that...but I guess you aren't so bad."

"You'd wound a lesser man, love." He replied and continued to keep up their banter until she pulled into the parking lot of his condo.

"I'm sure Brinkley will be excited to see you." Emma said, pulling into a parking space and taking in the location. She was too nervous when she picked him up that morning to really look around. The condos were well kept, beachy in theme (obviously) and quiet, although she didn't expect that last characteristic to last during the summer.

"I'm sure he will. Could I convince you to come in and see him and perhaps I could make you a hot chocolate?" He asked.

Emma hesitated, fingers running over the well worn fabric of her steering wheel. It wasn't late so she couldn't use that as an excuse. She didn't have a pet to get back to and her shift at the restaurant didn't start until the late afternoon.

"I found the chocolate Betsy uses online. It arrived the other day." He said and Emma found herself leaning toward joining him.

"Really?" She asked. "I thought it was impossible to find."

"Yes. It took a bit of searching but I finally managed to find some. What do you say love, a nice cup of hot chocolate on this chilly evening?" He persuaded her.

"Yeah okay." Emma relented, putting the car into park and twisting the keys back toward her and pulling them from the ignition.

* * *

 **Another A/N: Ruby's story about the hotel is actually my own. For senior week and the year after I stayed in that wonderfully dilapidated apartment right on the boardwalk and it killed me when they tore it down. I actually wrote a letter to the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce sharing my story and asking that they please leave historic Ocean City as it should be. I never got a response, but it made me feel better. Also, The Wrapper and Polish Water Ice are real locations, located on the Boardwalk & Dorcester Street. If you're ever in the area, I highly, highly recommend them! **


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Killian

Killian unlocked the door of his condo, surprised that Emma had agreed to a cup of hot chocolate. He had the idea for a while now but hadn't expected her to take him up on it.

"It's nice in here." She said breaking into his thoughts.

"Aye. I was a bit worried it'd be covered in doilies and lace to be honest." He replied, holding out his hand to take the leather jacket she was wearing.

She snorted as she pulled off the jacket and handed it to him. Brinkley came thrashing out of the bedroom, running at full speed toward Killian who simply braced himself as the canine hopped up onto his back legs and threw his front paws on Killian's shoulder. He scratched the dog's head and said hello before instructing him to get down.

"That's quite the welcome." Emma said. He noticed she had taken a step back, practically pressing herself against the wall when Brinkley had come running out.

"He can be a bit enthusiastic with me. Did he scare you?" Killian asked.

"No." Emma lied.

"Try again." He said, repeating back to her the words she used when she knew he wasn't telling the truth.

Emma huffed. "Fine. I'm not a big fan of large dogs. Especially when they're running full speed in my direction. My uncle bought his sons a puppy when they were kids. They used to get a kick out of getting the dog to corner me or jump all over me. As they got older they taught him to attack me. Well, not really attack but he'd chase me or lunge at me."

Killian frowned. "Your aunt and uncle did nothing about this?" He asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

"They never did it when my aunt could see. She might have stopped it if she knew. My uncle found it funny so he'd encourage them, telling me that dogs could smell fear so I needed to just get over it if I ever wanted the dog to leave me alone."

Killian couldn't stop himself from growling under his breath. "Would you be terribly offended love, that if I ever ran into this uncle of yours that my fist would connect with his jaw immediately?"

Emma laughed. "You'll have to wait your turn behind me. But I hope to never see him, or any of them, ever again."

"Yes, of course." Killian replied, wanting to punch _himself_ for even mentioning it. Of course she wouldn't want to see them. "Would you like to assist me in making the hot chocolate?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Sure." Emma followed him into the kitchen, standing out of the way near the sink as he gathered the ingredients and a saucepan. He held out the bar of chocolate to her which she took and immediately brought to her nose, closing her eyes and inhaling the rich scent. "You put cinnamon sticks in the milk?" She asked, as he placed one in the saucepan.

"Betsy does." He answered. "Would you like to chop up the chocolate? The knives are in that drawer there." He pointed between them. She grabbed a knife and began chopping the chocolate into small pieces. He dreaded bringing it up again, but he wanted to make her comfortable. "Does Brinkley scare you? I can put him back into the bedroom."

"No, he's okay." She replied.

"But the first time we met..." Killian trailed off.

"I know. I don't know why I backed up today but didn't react then. It's weird. I can't explain it. It happens sometimes and not others." Emma tried to explain.

Killian nodded as though he understood. "Brinkley" he called, "come here." The dog trotted into the kitchen right away. "Sit." Brinkley sat, awaiting his master's next command. "Emma here doesn't have a good history with dogs. You'll need to be very nice to her. No jumping. You'll be on your most obedient behavior. Do we understand?" Brinkley offered a bark in response. "Now go shake her hand to tell her you understand."

Killian turned to Emma who was looking at him as though he sprouted another head. "Just go with it, love." Emma shook her head in disbelief but crouched down and held out her hand. Brinkley immediately put his paw in hers. She couldn't help but smile a little. "Smile." Killian told the dog and Brinkley immediately opened his mouth, tongue lolling out to the side. Emma snorted. The dog looked ridiculous. "That's a new one." Killian told her. "Is there anything else you'd like him to do to make you feel more comfortable?"

"What else does he know?" Emma asked, curiously.

"Lie down." Brinkley immediately laid down on the kitchen floor. "Scary movie." Brinkley covered his eyes with his paws. "Bad guy." Brinkley removed his paws and bared his teeth. "Shot you." Brinkley rolled over on his belly, legs sticking straight up in the air. "Nine lives." Brinkley hopped back up into a sitting position. "Chase your tail." The dog immediately twisted in circles trying to catch his tail. "Pretty please?" He sat back on his haunches and lifted his front paws together in a begging motion. "Squirrel!" The dog's ears perked up as he quickly darted his head around as though he were looking for the squirrel.

Emma was laughing so hard she had to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Your dog is ridiculous. I mean, really ridiculous."

"He likes to call himself entertaining. Eccentric, even. I think he quite enjoys making a spectacle of himself. We're working on dancing. I'm trying to teach him to waltz." Killian confessed.

"You...you're teaching your dog to waltz? Wait, you know how to waltz?" Emma asked.

"Of course." Killian said holding out his hand to her.

"Oh no. I don't dance." Emma said taking a step away from him.

"There is just one rule to dancing, love. Pick a partner who knows what he's doing." He replied, taking a step closer to her and wiggling his fingers.

"Why don't you show me what Brinkley knows first?" Emma stalled.

Killian patted his shoulder. "Up." Brinkley went up on his hind legs, his front paws on Killian's shoulders. "It's not quite accurate, but he is a dog."

"Does he know that?" Emma asked.

"Sometimes I wonder." He said to her before looking back at Brinkley. "Dance. One, two-three, four, five-six."

While it wasn't smooth at all, Killian was happy Brinkley had obliged and given Emma a laugh. "Down, now. Thank you Brinkley. Bow."

Brinkley ducked his head and slid his front paws forward for a moment before backing out of the kitchen, leaving Emma and Killian alone.

"And now the fair lady owes me a twirl around the kitchen." Killian said, stepping towards Emma and holding out his hand again.

"But I could never compare to that." Emma tried to stall again but Killian saw right through the technique.

"As you said love, he is a dog so I'm quite certain your dancing would not compare to that of a canine. Now stop stalling love. It's only us. No spectators to judge you." Killian replied softly moving closer toward her.

He watched as her eyes darted around the room, likely trying not to find another excuse as her hands slid into her back pockets. She frowned, lips parting but before she could make another excuse he brought his finger up to her lips. "I dare you." He said, hoping his instincts that she couldn't back down to any challenge were correct.

Killian saw the determination flash through her eyes as she stepped closer to him and placed one hand on his shoulder. Momentarily surprised that it worked, Killian stared dumbly at her for a few seconds before taking her other hand in his and wrapping his other arm around her waist.

Despite being the one to put them in that position, Killian greatly underestimated the effects it would have on him with Emma being in such close proximity. At least at the beach they were side by side. Facing each other, he found he would be content to map the contours of her face; the wispy pieces of blonde hair framing her face that had escaped the loose ponytail down to the elegant line of her jaw and finally to the cleft in her chin he found himself longing to touch. Her head canted slightly to the right and his brain fought with itself against the urge to kiss her or stare into her eyes which were incredibly green up close even in the yellow light of his kitchen.

All logical thought to keep up pretense of wanting to be only her friend disappeared from his mind when her lips parted for a second before her teeth pressed down on her bottom lip. Killian was sure she could hear, if not feel, how hard his heart was beating. His tongue wet his bottom lip and he watched as her eyes followed the movement.

 _Friendship be damned!_ His brothers voice yelled in his head. _Kiss the woman already, Killian!_

He ducked his head slightly, leaning toward her when a loud hissing caused them both to jump. Over her shoulder Killian could see the boiling milk splattering over the sides of the saucepan. Reluctantly he removed his hand from hers and stepped around her to pull the saucepan off the heat. The movement felt so natural it took him a few seconds to realize he was now holding her against the counter with his other arm still around her waist. The hand he had dropped fiddled nervously with the pendant around her neck, her right arm hovered in the small distance between them as though she wasn't sure whether she should touch him or not. He took both her hands and stepped backward pulling her with him. "Sorry love. But now that the milk in the pan has boiled over and we need to start over, perhaps we could try this dance again?"

Emma nodded and placed her hand back on his shoulder. His arm returned around her waist and he forced himself to concentrate. "One, two-three" he started, feet following his words. "Four, five-six." He paused for only a second, leading her through the movement again. When she made no immediate move to pull away from him he repeated the steps again a few more times. "I believe, love" he said, "you've learned to waltz."

Her feet faltered the second he spoke, stepping on his before she all but leaped back, arms coming to her sides. "Told you I can't dance." She said, cheeks pink in embarrassment.

He stepped toward her but her arms came up to cross over her chest and he decided not to push her. "I don't know what you're talking about. You were dancing just fine." He turned and dumped he saucepan of scalded milk into the sink but kept his eyes on her.

"I stepped on your feet!" She argued.

"Only because you started to think about it too much. You completely the steps four times in a row before that without so much as a fraction of a misstep." Killian said calmly.

Emma shrugged. "I don't know."

"Come on." He said, passing her to exit the kitchen. When she followed him into the living room with a wary expression, he handed her the remote and nodded to Brinkley on the chair. "Why don't you see if you can find another show Brinkley likes and I'll focus on making the hot chocolate."

"I didn't think I was that much of a liability in the kitchen." Emma joked but he picked up on the hint of truth in her voice.

"You're not, at least not that I'm aware of. However, I'm merely a man easily distracted by beauty so for the sake of my stove it's best I focus on that and not you." Killian replied, pleased when a pink blush stained her cheeks and neck and she turned to face Brinkley instead of replying to him.

Killian busied himself with measuring out a second batch of milk and keeping a close eye on it this time, listening as Emma flipped through the channels. "Oh Brinkley, look." He heard her say, followed by the rustle of Brinkley's collar. "It's Too Cute. Have you watched these before? It's about baby animals...oh, hello." Killian popped his head around the corner to see that Brinkley had hopped up on the couch next to her, placing his head on her lap. He smiled to himself, impressed his dog was winning her over all on his own.

When the hot chocolate was done, he poured it into large mugs and carried them out into the living room. Looking at Brinkley he frowned. "Emma is a guest, not a pillow." Brinkley whimpered and Emma laughed. He held out the mug to Emma. "Your chocolate confection, mi'lady. Brinkley get down."

Emma took the mug from him and shifted on the couch, making room for Killian to sit down. "He could have stayed."

"Not unless you're a fan of slobber in your hot chocolate. Despite being a dog who knows he cannot have chocolate, he loves the smell." Killian said sitting next to Emma.

Emma wrinkled her nose. "Oh well in that case."

"So do you think he's found a new show to add to his favorites list?" Killian asked gesturing toward the screen where a litter of Scottish Fold kittens were tumbling over each other to attack a feather.

"I'm not sure. He's been watching but how you tell if he really likes it? Maybe he'd like puppies better." Emma said.

Killian picked up the remote and brought up the guide. The next episode was for a litter of Irish Settlers. "We could find out?" He didn't want to presume she would stay longer than it took her to drink her hot chocolate and the current episode was not even halfway through.

"You want me to stay for another episode?" Emma asked, surprise in her voice.

"Why wouldn't I?" Killian countered.

"We barely know each other and we've already spent five hours together." Emma replied.

"Do you have a time limit on how long you can be in someone's company?" He asked.

"Of course not, I'm just saying." Emma argued.

Killian frowned not sure where the conversation was going to go. "I don't wish to keep you here if you don't want to be, Emma. I rather enjoy your company and have no qualms about spending multiple hours at a time with you, if you're amenable to the idea."

"If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be. It's just..." She trailed off frustration evident in her tone.

"Just what?" Killian asked trying to understand.

"Nothing. Never mind. Just forget it." Emma huffed.

"Emma," he started, trying to figure out what had happened.

She stood abruptly, thrusting her mug out to him. "I'm just gonna go, thanks for the hot chocolate."

He stood up as well, taking the mug from her and placing it on the end table. "I don't know what happened here."

"Nothing. I just gotta go okay?" She crossed the room, yanking open the door to the hall closet and pulling out her leather jacket.

"At least allow me to walk you to your car." Killian replied.

"I've been walking alone to my car for years! I don't need a damn escort!" Emma nearly yelled at him, clearly becoming more agitated by the moment.

Killian desperately wanted to know what he had done to change her mood so drastically but realized it was not in his best interest to push her now that she was so upset. He held both hands up, palms facing her. "Okay." He said simply.

She softened a fraction. "Bye, Brinkley." She said looked at his dog curled up on the chair watching them with interest. Her eyes drifted back to him. "Good night."

Before he could reply she had turned and strode out his front door, shutting it firmly behind her. Despite the voice in his head yelling at him to run after her and find out what was wrong, he forced himself to remain standing in the same spot until he was sure she had gone.

"Do you have any idea what that was about?" Killian asked Brinkley.

The dog looked at him with wide eyes as though he was indicating he had no idea what happened either. Killian took the mugs to the kitchen, pouring the remainder of the hot chocolate down the sink and placing the mugs in the dishwasher.

Flipping back down into the couch, he stared at the television only half paying attention to the baby animals becoming acclimated to their surroundings on the screen.

The episode eventually ended, the litter of kittens with the folded ears all finding new homes with loving families, except one kitten who would stay at the house with his mother. Killian looked up at the clock realizing Emma would have gotten home by now. He wanted to call her, text her, something to make sure she had arrived home okay but he knew she wouldn't appreciate the gesture. The next episode started, the preview showing a litter of five tiny puppies barking away caught Brinkley's attention, who hopped up on the couch next to Killian, nudging his head against Killian's hand for pets. "So you do like this show." Brinkley barked in response.

Killian managed to make it through a few more episodes before he reluctantly drug himself to bed, Brinkley following on his heels. He slept later than usual, the sun already midway into the sky when he pulled himself from bed. He checked his phone, halfheartedly hoping she had called or texted him at some point throughout the night. The screen remained blank.

Annoyed he stomped to the shower, twisting the knob to increase the hot water and undressed quickly and stood under the hot spray, the temperature almost painful, trying to clear his head.

Two hours later his resolve not to contact her crumbled for a moment. Grabbing his phone he brought up his text messages and quickly shot one off to her.

 _Brinkley would like to thank you for introducing him to his new favorite show._

* * *

 **Don't hate me?**

 **Also, I just wanted to laugh at myself for previously thinking this story could be wrapped up in 20 chapters. And thank you all for sticking through this really, really, REALLY slow burn. Even I didn't think it would take this long, but the end is in sight. I promise.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Emma

"Shake, shake, shake it off!" She yelled offkey through gritted teeth, fingers scrubbing at non-existent stains on the kitchen counter.

The cottage was sparkling clean. Any spiders that thought they could have taken up residence in the corners of the high ceilings were sent packing with a sharp swat of the broom. The stainless steel sink was scrubbed so clean Emma could see a reflection of her hair pulled up in a haphazard bun in it.

Bright spring sunlight filtered through all of the rooms. The curtains had been removed and were currently in a heap to be taken to the laundromat. The insides of the windows had been wiped down with Windex, the wooden blinds dusted and polished. The living room furniture had been moved to ensure not a stray crumb or dust bunny remained.

With narrowed red-rimmed eyes Emma stomped toward the bedroom, looking around the cottage suspiciously as though she were waiting for something to get dirty just to spite her. Stripping off her sweaty cleaning clothes she stood under the hot spray of the shower, allowing the steam and heat to make her feel human again.

Her fingers ached. First from the grip she maintained on the steering wheel last night after driving home from Killian's, full of anger she couldn't quite explain. Then from the all night cleaning marathon she had set herself on. Her knuckles were red, her fingernails broken and rough. Her body ached from the exertion of moving furniture and she had hoped, once it was all done, the anger would be gone and she could finally fall asleep.

The dissipation of her anger and the desire to sleep both eluded her. Somewhere in the hours of dawn she realized the lack of curtains wouldn't allow her to sleep anyway and decided to continue cleaning until the laundromat would open.

She pulled the wide-tooth comb through her hair before wrapping it up into another messy bun. Throwing on yoga pants and a hoodie, Emma gathered her laundry and headed for the laundromat. She was pleased to find only a few people were there.

Dividing everything into the washers, she sat down on the hard plastic chairs and waited. Once the clothes had been moved to the dryers, a loud rumble of her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten since splitting the pretzel wrapper with Killian the afternoon before. The memory of Killian made her frown.

When the laundry was complete and folded back into baskets, Emma drove to the grocery store, wandering up and down the aisles, throwing things into the cart at random. The scent of freshly baked bread caused her stomach to rumble again. She tossed a loaf of Italian bread into the cart as well.

Once the groceries were put away and the curtains were rehung, Emma made a bowl of popcorn and headed to bed, hoping she could get a few hours of sleep and still be able to go to bed later that night. Wrapping the blankets around her, she settled in with the bowl of popcorn on her lap. Her phone, that she had left charging on the nightstand, buzzed.

She grabbed it without thinking, swiping her finger across the screen to unlock the home screen.

 _Killian: Brinkley would like to thank you for introducing him to his new favorite show._

Emma groaned tossing her phone to the side. Of course he would text her with something so simple, like something inside her hadn't snapped last night and she didn't storm out of his condo without explaining anything.

Up until they were sitting on the couch, the day had went very well. She spent the morning full of nerves wondering if he was going to back out until he finally texted her her address late in the morning. She expected it to be awkward, being together in a car for an hour each way, but the conversation had flowed easily. She worried that spending time with Ruby and Victor would be weird too, since Ruby had a tendency to speak without thinking, but that had gone off without a hitch as well. She never expected what happened at his place; how he immediately wanted to put her at ease with Brinkley, how he convinced her to twirl around the kitchen with him and how she found herself feeling comfortable and dare if she even think it - safe - in his arms. And before the dance, before the milk bubbled over the stove, for a moment or two she found herself wanting to be kissed by the blue-eyed man who was staring into her eyes.

He wanted her to stay for another episode, which she logically knew was not that big of a deal, but it was just too much when combined with everything else. A voice in her head, sounding suspiciously like Walsh's, had crept up while she was sitting on the couch. _He only cares if you stay because then he can try to get into your pants afterward. That's all you're good for, a meaningless fuck. He doesn't really want you. No one does. It'd be wise for you to finally realize that._

She still couldn't read what Killian wanted from her or how he really felt. She had found herself toying with the idea of spending more time with him, seeing where things would go, when Walsh's voice had reminded her of his cruel words. Like all relationships, they had their ups and downs but when it was a low point Walsh always made sure to use just the right words to cut her deeply. Those particular ones had come from an argument stemming from Walsh believing that a customer was hitting on Emma and she was flirting back. She hadn't talked to him for two weeks after that fight, promptly pressing the decline button every time he called and throwing away the bouquets of flowers delivered to her door daily. But he was persistent, apology letters in the mail, coming to her job and leaving ridiculous notes, even going as far to sit in the hallway of her apartment overnight waiting for her to come home. Eventually she agreed to hear him out, to hear him apologize in person. Ever the salesperson, he managed to say what she needed to hear, to convince her of how sorry he was and that it would never happen again. That they would be together forever. It wasn't but three months later that the real truth, the web of lies he had created with her, all came crashing down.

Setting the popcorn on her nightstand she pulled the blanket over her head and forced herself to think only about the ocean waves until she relaxed and finally fell asleep.

Killian texted her the next day, a photo of Brinkley watching another Too Cute marathon but she didn't reply to that text either. She knew he could see the texts were being delivered but couldn't bring herself to reply. Replying meant apologizing and apologizing meant explaining and sharing more of herself and Emma just couldn't bring herself to do it. It was easier to retreat, to withdraw into herself and pretend like the night didn't happen.

-\\-

Every day a new text came in from Killian and a few times she started to reply, but ended up deleting the message and not saying anything at all. Emma focused on work, finding a file room at the dealership that needed to be organized and picking up extra shifts at the restaurant to help train the summer staff because a few of the initial waitresses didn't work out as well as David had expected them to. She was wary of being at the restaurant, picking up all daytime and weeknight shifts in hopes that she wouldn't run into Killian there.

The weather had warmed up quite a bit in the past few days and Emma knew it wouldn't be much longer until the tourists had taken over the town. Memorial Day weekend was less than three weeks away and she could practically feel the anticipation in the air. The ice cream shop unveiled a new sign, one framed in round bulbs that blinked bright white against the dark night sky. Most of the stores on the small boardwalk had opened, doors propped open wide to allow the fresh ocean air to come in and wipe away the musty smells of having being closed for months. Racks of clothing and knickknacks made their ways onto the sidewalk with neon colored signs announcing large percentages off the listed prices. Last year's inventory that the owners hadn't managed to sell before they closed up for the season. Dimmed and burnt out bulbs in the lampposts were replaced, along with a board here and there on the boardwalk that had come loose. The large wooden crates were pulled out of storage and dragged onto the beach, patiently waiting to be filled with umbrellas and beach chairs for the tourists to rent. The lifeguard towers boasted a fresh coat of paint and had also been pulled out of storage and placed on the sand, just waiting to be used.

"It's going to be 82 degrees. I know you're off tomorrow. Come to the beach with me?" Ruby practically begged.

Emma wasn't a huge fan of sunbathing, preferring to visit the beach in the off season where one could remain properly dressed and avoid getting sand in any unpleasant places. "Eh." She frowned.

"Puh-leeeaaase?" Ruby pouted, sticking out her bottom lip and batting her eyelashes at Emma as though it would help convince her.

"I don't even know where my bathing suit is." Emma said, half-heartedly trying to get out of the situation.

"Even better! Didn't you see the sign? Treasure Island is having a 60% off sale today only. We can go after our shifts. You get off at five right?" Ruby bounced on her heels excited, nearly spilling the glass of beer she was topping off.

"Ugh." Emma frowned. "You know how I feel about shopping."

"I know that you're weird. And that because you don't want to disappoint your bestest friend," Ruby paused and pouted again for good measure "you'll come shopping with me after work and then I'll talk you into buying some hot little bikini that will spend more time in your closet than sunlight but you'll also come to the beach with me tomorrow and we can find some tourists to make drool."

Emma shook her head. "How and why are we making tourists drool?"

Ruby rolled her eyes playfully. "Duh, Emma. I really wonder you about sometimes." She teased. "They're going to drool over the two hot women in bikinis in front of them and if you really need a reason why...because we can? Isn't that good enough?"

"I don't like you." Emma whined.

"I know. You _love_ me!" Ruby grinned.

"What do you think about these?" Ruby asked, holding up a handful of bikinis in Emma's direction. Emma walked over to her friend who then held each one up individually. There was a patriotic string style decorated in red white and blue tiny flags, a haltered black and pink Chevron printed one, a bandeau style hot pink one with fringe on the top and a triangle/string style red one covered in sequins.

"I think I know which one is your favorite." Emma replied.

Ruby brought the red sequined back to the front of the pile. "You know me too well but I just love it. It's so sparkly and red. I think I'll try that one on first. Did you find anything?"

Emma held up the hangers in her hand. A teal bandeau style top, a basic black triangle top with a few metallic colored swirls around the edges and a halter-style nautical printed one, navy blue with thin white lines and tiny anchor charms hanging off the sides of the hipster style bottoms. "Let's try them on."

Emma wasn't impressed with the first two she tried on. The striped one gave her a uniboob and the black one didn't provide enough coverage. The nautical printed one wasn't really even her style, she preferred to keep her swimwear basic but something told her to try it on. Of course, it fit better than the other two, the tiny charms adding just enough to the suit without making it look childish or gaudy.

"You coming out?" Ruby's voice interrupted her thoughts. Emma pulled back the curtain of the dressing room and stepped out. "That looks awesome on you!" Ruby exclaimed when she saw Emma.

Ruby was wearing the red sequined suit which on anyone else would only work for a Miss America competition but Ruby somehow managed to tone down the sequins and sparkle into something that could be worn on a beach and not a runway or stage. "You're getting that one right?" Emma asked her.

"Definitely!"

-\\-

Emma met Ruby at the beach early the next morning. There were only a few parking spaces left on the main drag, the warm summerlike weather seemed to have brought everyone out of their homes and into town. Slinging her beach bag over her shoulder and readjusting her cover up, Emma headed up toward the beach. She found Ruby waiting for her on one of the benches, a large beach bag and cooler next to her, two beach chairs resting at her feet.

They made their way down the wooden path to the crowded beach. Emma was surprised to see so many people there. "Over there okay?" Ruby asked, pointing to an empty patch of sand not far from where the lifeguard tower stood.

Emma nodded, slipping off her flip flops to trudge through the warmed sand without kicking it all over herself.

They quickly set up their area, chairs tilted and positioned in the angle for maximum sunlight, towels on top and a larger blanket in front of them, held down by the cooler. Emma slid on her sunglasses and searched through her bag for sunblock. She had purchased the aerosol kind, hoping to avoid rubbing the harsh granules of sand into her skin like she always did with the lotion version. Pulling her cover up over her head, she held up the can of sunblock to Ruby and pointed toward the ocean. "I'm gonna go down there so I don't spray anyone else."

Even though the sand was warm and sand was hot, there was still a cool breeze coming off the ocean making it feel a few degrees cooler than where they were sitting. Emma quickly uncapped the bottle of sunblock and set about covering herself with a thin sheen of protectant. When she felt her pale skin was safe from the rays of the sun, she walked back to their chairs, finding Ruby attaching her phone to a small speaker system. "We need tunes."

Emma settled in the chair, stretching out her legs and digging her toes into the sand. She tipped her face up, closing her eyes and allowing the warmth of the sun to embrace her. The two remained quiet for a while until finally Ruby spoke.

"You know, I kind of expected you to have filled me on what happened with Killian last weekend and what's happened since." Ruby said finally.

Emma turned her head toward her friend, bringing her hand up to shade her eyes. "You were there and nothing has happened since."

"Why, what happened?" Ruby asked curiously.

"I might have fucked things up." Emma said quietly. "I should have never agreed to go in his place."

"What the fuck? What did he do?" Ruby practically yelled in outrage.

"Shh." Emma waved her hand at her friend, embarrassed that people had turned to look in their direction. "Nothing like that at all. I'd have told you. He told me he found the chocolate that Betsy uses in her hot chocolate and asked me if I wanted to come in for a cup. Since everything had been going well, I agreed."

"It was so stupid. I was sitting on the couch with Brinkley watching tv because the dog likes certain shows (we're not going to talk about how ridiculous that is) and I was seeing if he liked something new and Killian asked if I wanted to stay for another episode and I said that we had already spent a lot of time together and then it just snowballed from there and I had to leave." Emma said.

"That doesn't even make sense." Ruby pointed out.

"I know, I was just sitting there on his couch trying to figure out what had happened in the kitchen-" Emma started.

"Wait, what happened in the kitchen?" Ruby interrupted.

Emma sighed. "Brinkley does all of these tricks and one of them is to dance, he puts his front paws on Killian's shoulders and they waltz or something..anyway Killian talked me into dancing with him and there was a minute where I thought he was going to kiss me. But the milk from the hot chocolate boiled over the pan so I went into the living room then to let him make the chocolate. He asked about another episode and I said we had already spent a lot of time together that day and then he teased me about having a time limit to spend with people. I don't even know why, it's not like anything reminded me of him, but something terrible an ex once said to me popped into my head and that combined with that I don't know what he wants from me, I just freaked out and said I had to go."

"So you just left?" Ruby asked.

"Pretty much." Emma frowned.

"And you haven't talked to him since?" Ruby asked, leaning forward to pull a bottle of water out of the cooler and hand it to Emma, then taking one for herself.

"Nope. Haven't seen him either. He's texted me every day but I haven't responded." Emma admitted.

"What's he saying in the texts?" Ruby asked.

"Just random stuff, like he's acting like it didn't happen. The first one he told me Brinkley thanked me for the new favorite show and then another one was a picture of Brinkley watching it." Emma said. "Then something like "Boardwalk fries don't compare" and then a comment about the rain the other day."

"So if he's willing to get past it, why aren't you? It sounds like you're making a bigger deal out of it than he is, since he's texting you about random stuff." Ruby wanted to know.

"I don't know. I mean I can't just pretend it didn't happen. I know I should apologize because I did overreact but then he's gonna want to know what my ex said that I remembered and I don't want to get into that with him. Or anyone. I'd rather forget, although clearly I'm doing a shitty job of it."

Ruby sighed. "Well, after hanging out with him, I really like him."

"That's just because he gets your movie quotes." Emma interjected.

"That is not the only reason, but it doesn't hurt. Victor pretended to be all butthurt about it later that night but I think he was secretly pleased that I can now randomly spit out quotes to someone who actually gets them instead of him, who just blinks at me like I've grown another head most of the time. But anyway, I really like Killian. I think he's cool and I can't wait to see him at the restaurant again so we can talk more about Ireland."

"When did you talk about Ireland?" Emma asked confused.

"The other night. He came in for dinner and a drink. He didn't mention you, but I didn't think anything was wrong. He wasn't acting like it. We started talking about beers, the local breweries here and then got to talk about what it's like over in Ireland." Ruby explained.

"Are you sure you don't want to date him?" Emma spit out and immediately wanted to take it back. She knew Ruby wasn't like that.

Ruby frowned. "No, I'm happy with Victor." She said slowly. "I think he's good for you actually. You guys get along really well, at least from what I can see."

Emma shrugged. "Yeah except for when I fucked it up."

"Dude, just apologize to him. And while you're at it, clear the air. Flat out ask him what he wants from you. I think you guys need to have that conversation." Ruby said taking a long swig from her water bottle.

"I'll think about it."

"Don't think too long." Ruby warned.

* * *

 **Ruby is wise. What do you think?**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Killian

She didn't responded to his first text message or the eight thereafter but there were a few times where he saw the telltale three dots appear on his screen as though she was contemplating a response, but nothing ever came through.

After the third day of texting her with no response he did debate on not sending anymore, not wanting her to feel like he was trying to force his way into her life, but on the fourth day he was out running errands with Brinkley and had stopped in the pet store. In the back corner of the store sat a shelf full of last season's Halloween costumes. A brown hat attached to a pair of glasses with a plush pipe hanging to the side. Not one to ever dress up a pet, costume-holiday or otherwise, Killian couldn't help himself from placing the glasses on the dog's nose. The hat perched to the side, hanging off his floppy ear and the pipe dangled near his mouth. He snapped a quick picture and sent it to Emma with the caption "Sherlock Holmes goes canine." The three little dots appeared, but she never sent a response.

He found Ruby behind the bar Friday and waved hello to her before heading through the kitchen to David's office to let him know he was there. His eyes drifted over to the whiteboard in the corner where the staff's names were listed if they had a shift for the day. Emma's name wasn't on the board and Killian found himself frowning. After his shift he slid onto the same barstool that he sat on every other night he played and waited for Ruby to come over and ask him what he wanted to drink.

He found it amusing for her to ask since every drink he had came at her recommendation, but he indulged in the conversation all the same. "So I know you like darker beers, but you know summer means seasonal lighter ales. We got in a shipment of a blonde ale from a brewing company in Maryland. You wanna try it?" Ruby asked.

"Why not. And an order of jerk wings?" Killian said, fiddling with the coaster in front of him.

"Coming right up." Ruby replied and headed into the kitchen to place his order. She returned with his beer not long later. The bar was the fullest he'd found it yet, the warmer weather was bringing everyone out.

"There's a surprising number of breweries around here." He commented.

"Yeah, I know. It never used to be like this and then craft beers became super popular and boom, breweries are everywhere. It's nice in a way, it lets us bring in local stuff to try and help get their names out there, plus I think the guests get bored of the same old domestic beers that a lot of other places have on tap." Ruby replied.

As the other patrons cashed out for the evening, he continued talking with Ruby, about what beers are like in Ireland and some of pubs he'd frequented with Liam before they moved to the states. He described the small village where they lived as children, the tiny house that had been home. He spoke about going to other neighboring towns and how the coast there was nothing like it was here. He told her how much he hated that people here think only the major cities are worth visiting but the tiny little no-name towns in between are just as full of history and things to see. They talked about the castles and folklore surrounding them, how the Irish foods here aren't even traditional and while they do drink a fair bit across the pond, it's not the stereotypical Guinness and Bailey's like those here think.

Before he realized it, Ruby was calling for last call to the remaining patrons. Draining the last of his beer, he handed Ruby some cash and bid her a goodnight.

It was a little after two in the morning a few nights later when his phone sitting on the end table next to him chirped. He nearly didn't check it, expecting it to be some junk email offer. Instead, it was a picture of the ocean, the whitecaps of the waves barely illuminated by the glow of the moon. No text accompanied the picture but the message was from Emma and he knew she was there now. He had just given up on any attempts to sleep himself and had put a movie in. Slipping on his shoes and grabbing his keys he headed for the door but stopped short. He turned and entered the kitchen, pulling out a saucepan. He filled it with milk and a cinnamon stick. Snapping a picture of the milk on the stove and a pile of chopped chocolate next to it, he sent it to Emma with a question mark. A few seconds later she responded with a thumbs up emoji.

Willing the hot chocolate to come together quickly, Killian paced the length of his small kitchen impatiently. Brinkley sat in the entrance to the kitchen looking at him. "You'd be acting the same way, if she hadn't contacted you in over a week, you know." Killian said, pouring the hot chocolate into travel mugs. Brinkley whined. "Fine, I guess you can join us but if anything goes wrong, I'm blaming it on you."

Even though she knew he was on the way, he cursed the three red lights he hit en route to the beach. There was no traffic in the middle of the night and for a split second he debated on running them but figured he should remain on the good side of the law.

He pulled into the parking spot next to her yellow bug, grabbing the travel mugs and indicating for Brinkley to hop down. He found Emma easily, she was sitting in the same spot where they had sat not too long ago. Her knees were brought up to her chest, arms around them. The jingling of Brinkley's collar alerted her to their presence. She turned to watch them walk toward her. "Hi." She said softly when he was close enough to hear her.

"Hi." He echoed, unsure of what to say because he didn't know where they stood. Remembering the mugs in his hand he held one out to her, nearly dropping the one in his other hand when her fingers brushed against his. He thought he had moved past that, feeling like he was being shocked every time they touched but it seemed the time he spent without seeing her reignited the spark. He watched as her fingers flexed too, indicating she had felt it as well.

She patted the space on the blanket next to her. "You can sit."

Brinkley didn't need to be told twice, walking around to her other side and flopping down next to her. "Brinkley!" Killian sighed but Emma shook her head.

"He's fine. Thank you for the hot chocolate." She said returning her gaze to the ocean.

Killian eased down onto the blanket next to her, keeping a respectable amount of distance between them. "I couldn't sleep tonight either."

"Any reason?" She asked.

"Not really. Feeling a bit restless I suppose." He answered honestly.

The silence between them stretched out for a while, just the sound of the water lapping against the shore. He could tell she was going to start talking by the way her fingers twisted together. The desire to reach his hand out and press it on top of hers was so overwhelming he found himself sitting on his hands.

"About that night..." She started.

He could feel how uncomfortable she was. It felt as though there was physical tension in the air between them. Despite wanting to know what had caused it, wanting her to be at ease was more important. "You don't have to." He interrupted.

She turned to him and smiled, a genuine smile. "Yeah, I do. It's the right thing to do."

Killian nodded, not knowing how to responding. He could sense this was a big step for her and her need to push through and do it even though it made her uncomfortable made him all the more fond of her.

"I overreacted. It wasn't anything that you said it did. At least not directly. The ex I mentioned? There was a bad fight one time and he said some pretty terrible stuff about spending time with me. I know you were just teasing when you brought up the time limit but it reminded me of that and I just..." She trailed off unsure of how to finish.

"Panicked?" Killian offered.

"Basically. I'm sorry. I just needed to get away, to get those thoughts out of my head and then the more time that passed the easier it was to pretend like it didn't happen. I have a bad habit of that, running away from things but I'm working on it. Or trying to, at least. " She replied.

"It's alright love. Sometimes the past gets the best of us. I'd be lying if I told you that there was never a time in my life where I didn't allows previous situation to dictate my actions." He tried to sympathize with her.

"Don't." She held up her hand. "That might be true, but don't write it off like what I did was so easily forgivable."

His brow furrowed. He knew she didn't have a fairytale life but found it hard to believe she encountered so many people unwilling to accept an apology without her groveling first.

"But it is." He frowned. "I don't expect you to be perfect Emma. Frankly, I'm rather pleased that you aren't. It makes you a tad bit less intimidating. Everyone makes mistakes. I told you I've been in a similar situation. I'd be a hypocrite for expecting you to act differently."

"I'm intimidating?" She asked incredulously, shifting to look at him.

Killian nodded. "You don't take any bullshit. You're competitive. You're beautiful. I'm sure you'd find many men in your lifetime that found you intimidating, if only initially for your looks." Even in the darkness of night he could see the pink blush cross over her cheeks and neck. "You're also terrible at taking compliments." He joked.

"Sorry?" She didn't know how to respond.

"Thank you would be the correct response to a compliment." He replied.

"Thank you?" She tried again, rolling her eyes.

"I guess we could work on you not phrasing it as a question. And believing it, that might help." He gave her an exasperated look.

She didn't respond and he focused back on the ocean in front of them. Nearly half an hour passed before she spoke again. "So Brinkley likes Too Cute?"

Killian sighed dramatically. "Gods yes. We sat through an entire marathon last weekend."

"You, uh know you don't _need_ to watch shows with your dog right?" Emma teased.

Killian chuckled. "Perhaps I liked some of the episodes. I nearly had Brinkley convinced we should get a hamster that runs around in a ball."

"What happened?"

"The rescue was out of hamsters that day and getting one from the pet store just kind of made it lose its appeal." Killian said seriously but Emma burst out laughing.

"You'd totally be the guy who collects all the stray animals wouldn't you?" Emma asked.

Killian pretended to look affronted while he was secretly pleased he had made Emma laugh. "You can't fault a man for a soft spot and desire to rescue homeless animals, can you really Swan?"

Even in the dim moonlight he could see her face softening. "No, not at all." She practically whispered but he could still hear the emotion in her voice.

Instinctively he scooted closer to her. "Swan? What have I said?"

Emma cleared her throat and avoided his gaze. "Nothing. It's nothing."

He raised an eyebrow and made a humming noise in the back of his throat but chose not to question her further.

He caught her yawning a few times before she handed the travel mug back to him. "I think I'm finally tired enough to sleep."

Killian stood immediately, offering her his hand to pull herself up. He didn't expect her to take it, pulling herself into a standing position and dropping his hand to shove both of hers into the back pockets of her jeans. He bent down and gathered the blanket they had been sitting on, turning away from her to shake the sand from it.

He allowed her to lead up the ramp back to the boardwalk and tucked the blanket into her tiny trunk once she opened it. "Thank you for inviting me tonight."

"Thanks for coming. I didn't expect you to reply or show up." Emma said.

"Really? Did you not received my other texts?" Killian asked surprised.

"I did, but just because you texted me doesn't mean you wanted to see me." Emma replied.

He forced himself to keep a neutral expression. _Who were these assholes she dated?_ He couldn't help but wonder. "And that's where you're mistaken. I'd like to see you every day should you schedule allow it and you not become sick of me. I won't play mind games with you, love. " Killian said.

"Bullshit." She nearly yelled.

"What?!" He asked startled.

"That's what this has been from the beginning. Just mind games. Look, I can read people pretty well but not you and I hate it. I have no idea what you want or what any of this is. It's driving me fucking crazy." Emma let out in a rush, face flushing. He wasn't sure if it was from anger or embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, love." He asked taking a step toward her.

She stepped back. "Like I told you the first day. Don't 'love' me."

He couldn't help but grin at her words. Every time he was in her presence he found himself becoming more and more fond of her, more intrigued, curious to know all there was to know about Emma Swan. The time she spent ignoring him only made him all the happier to see her, to spend time with her. If he was being honest with himself he could easily do exactly the opposite of what she requested.

"That!" She growled and pointed at his face. "That stupid smirk. You look at me like that a lot and I don't know what the hell it means so just stop, okay?"

The smirk fell from his face. "I am sorry for driving you crazy. I came here with the plan to escape the unpleasant memories regarding my brothers death. I didn't intend to meet anyone, especially anyone quite like you."

"What does that mean?" She interrupted, clearly agitated from the way she crossed her arms firmly over her chest, scowling at him.

"Patience, Swan. I thought maybe a new place would help me to heal. I thought I could remain relatively anonymous in some small coastal town. But then I met you and something changed. I stopped wanting to hide from the world. I wanted to be a part of it again. I realized no amount of running or avoidance would change the past. It would still be there every day, but I could choose to stay stuck there, in a limbo of sorts, between hiding from the world and being an active participant. I spent so long not really feeling human anymore and you brought that back. I want to feel that way again. I want to live my life and honor my brothers life, not drown away in old memories." He explained stepping towards her again. This time she didn't step back. Instead her arms uncrossed and fell to her sides.

"I feel as though there's a connection between us, I felt it from the beginning. Perhaps it's the similarities in our upbringing or our mutual love of the ocean, as I said to you before. I don't know for sure, love but I like spending time with you." He continued.

"In what way?" She asked, avoiding his gaze.

He nearly asked her to clarify but then it dawned on him what she was asking. "In any way that I can. As I told you, I'm content to have a friendship with you Emma. I don't know if I'm in the best place yet for anything more and I believe you feel the same way. I know you aren't quick to trust anyone and I respect that. I have no interest in requesting anything from you that you don't want or you aren't ready for. I think you could use a friend and I'd like to be that friend, but I won't deny I have stronger feelings for you."

"Stronger feeling?" She echoed in nearly a whisper.

"I'd like to know if your hair feels as silky as it appears. I'd like to know what else makes you blush, how you look when you're asleep. If the chemistry I think exists between us really exists or is just a figment of my imagination. If your lips taste as good as they look." He answered, becoming aware he has crossed further into her personal space, close enough to see how her pupils had dilated.

Her lips parted slightly and her eyelashes fluttered for a moment before she squeezed her eyes closed and bit down on her bottom lip. When she met his gaze again, he could tell she had closed down and fought himself not to frown.

"It exists. The chemistry, I mean." She admitted but before his face could fully morph into that of a lovesick teenager, she continued. "I just...I don't do relationships."

Killian prided himself of being a man that didn't go back on his word but her confirmation of the chemistry between them had him desperate to take back that he wasn't ready for a relationship. He wasn't stupid. He knew they could act on the chemistry between them without being in a relationship but Emma deserved more than a one night stand or a friends-with-benefits situation. "Even if the relationship went very, very slowly?" He found himself adding huskily.

She shivered and her eyes fluttered closed again. Equal parts of desire and male pride coursed through his veins, the little voice in the back of his head piping up. _If she's this responsive to your voice, imagine how responsive she would be to your touch._ His brow pinched together, shutting up the voice from within.

"I can't." She muttered, frowning.

He nodded, feeling ashamed that he had even asked her. "But a friendship? Could that be a possibility?"

"I guess. Although the cliche about men and women not being able to be friends has always stood true in my experience." She answered.

"Am I to assume correctly that these men may not have treated you like a woman should be treated?" He asked.

She shrugged.

"Perhaps during the course of this friendship I could show you how a proper gentleman behaves toward a woman, not a brainless git just trying to get into your pants?" He asked. Anger welled up in him again at how horribly she had been treated by men in her past. If nothing else he wanted to show her how she deserved to be treated.

"But you do want to get in my pants." She replied and he found himself choking on air at her bluntness.

Clearing his throat, he smiled at her. "A gentleman treats a lady properly regardless of what he may desire, especially since there are no guarantees that she will feel the same as he."

"So what you're going to like open doors and stuff?" Emma asked confused.

"Among other things. Chivalry is a good place to start. If you ever find anything to your disliking, I simply ask that you tell me at once and it will never happen again. Deal?" He asked.

Emma eyed him warily and he knew she was trying to detect a hint of untruth or a secret agenda he hadn't revealed, but there was none. He wanted to spend time with her, to be around her and if he upped the gentlemanly aspects to the highest degree to show her how she should be treated, well, so be it.

"All this as friends? No dating, no other stuff?" She asked.

"What kind of _other stuff_ are you talking about?" He teased with a quirk of his eyebrow and his most winning grin then he shook his head at her. "Yes Emma, as friends. However, should you find yourself falling in love with me and wanting to progress past friendship, you just need to ask."

"You're awfully cocky." She stated.

He grinned again. "I know. So what do you saw Miss Swan, do we have a deal?"

She held out her hand. "Deal."

He shook her hand firmly before bringing it to his lips. "I believe it is bad form to keep a woman from her rest. Would it be too bold of me to escort you back to your dwelling?"

She shook her head at him. "You're something else Jones. But no, I don't need you to follow me home."

He opened her car door for her, Boeing as he stepped back. She laughed. "Night Brinkey." She said with a pat on the dog's head. "Good night, Killian and thanks again for showing up."

"'Twas my pleasure mi'lady. I bid you a good evening and hope our paths shall cross in the near future." He said with a grin.

"Okay Shakespeare." She laughed and closed her car door.

He waited until she drove away before getting into his own truck and heading home.

* * *

 **Progress! What did you think?**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Emma

Emma wondered if she did the right thing. She knew she wasn't ready for a relationship and she appreciated Killian being honest with her so she no longer needed to wonder, but part of her was concerned she was somehow leading him on.

 _I cleared the air with Killian_ she texted to Ruby.

 _ANNNNNDDDDD?!_ Was the immediate response followed by a variety of happy face, fireworks and kissing emojis.

 _E: He said he came here to disappear, to get away from the memories of his brother and he intended to just hide out here but that changed after he met me._

 _R: Awwww!_

 _E: Shut up. He said he knows he's not ready for a relationship and he doesn't want me to do anything I'm not ready for either so we're just going to be friends._

 _R: You've broken my heart over here (_ 10 crying emojis)

 _E: He likes me as more though_

 _R: Way to hold out on a girl! (Angry emoji) So?_

 _E:So...friends. Which somehow means he's going all Shakespeare on me because I 'should know how a lady is treated by a gentleman' or some shit like that_

 _R: So he's going to court you? He can really lay on the thick romantic side, huh._

 _E: Courting is like dating. No courting. Friends. But I feel like I'm leading him on._

 _R: and so the plot thickens..._

 _E: I can stop talking to you about this_

 _R: Don't threaten me blondie. Why would you be leading him on?_

 _E: He said he likes me as more than a friend and I agreed that we have chemistry._

 _R: Did Shakespeare come before or after that confession?_

 _E: After, why?_

 _R: Then you're not leading him on although I'm really curious how long it takes before the sexual tension between you causes a tidal wave or something_

 _E: You're an ass_

 _R: I'd rather be an ass than the idiot denying herself orgasms from mr sex on a stick_

Emma typed and erased a hundred different replies before finally settling on an emoji sticking out its tongue.

 _R: bet he's good with that too. ;)_

 _E: I hate you_

Ruby responded with nearly a hundred kissing faces.

But Ruby had made Emma wonder, not just about the sexual aspects of it-which she was not thinking about, thank you very much-but whether Killian was trying to court her without her realizing it. This time she decided to go right to the man himself.

 _E: This 'treat a lady' stuff wouldn't be a cover for you trying to court me, would it?_

 _K: Where did that come from, if I may ask?_

 _E: Ruby_

 _K: Ah. And I am to assume you don't wish to be courted?_

 _E: Courting is like dating. Dating = relationships_

 _K: You know, that really isn't an answer to the question. As a child you never pretended to be a princess being courted by her future prince?_

 _E: There was no prince in my imagination. The princess lived alone._

 _K: Did you hear that shriek? That was the sound of every Disney princess's heart breaking._

 _E: Ha ha Jones. Seriously though?_

 _K: I shall do my best not to court you. Although should you be woo'd and enamoured by my charming personality, I do not hold myself responsible._

 _E: Awfully full of yourself aren't you?_

 _K: I do not know what you speak of_

Emma decided to stop there. She wasn't sure what Killian meant by 'trying' not to court her, but she decided not to push it and just go with the flow, a huge step for her. She figured if he laid the how to treat a lady bit on too thickly she could call him out on it then.

Although she refused to admit it out loud, like many other things, she was curious to see what he would do. Emma knew she hadn't been in great relationships and her uncle was less than a decent role model but she didn't feel as though she was treated terribly all of the time. There had been men who opened doors and pulled out chairs for her and the whole chivalrous routine, but those things didn't matter to her. In a relationship she wanted to maintain a level of independence, to not get sucked into spending all of her time with her significant other. She wanted to be treated as an equal, she wanted trust and not to be taken for granted.

Knowing she could spend all day thinking about this new dynamic between them, Emma hopped in the shower to clear her head, then she made another trip to the grocery store, picking up foods providing actual sustenance since her last trip consisted of only junk foods.

She put away the groceries, leaving out a chicken breast for dinner and went to retrieve her mail. As the cottage didn't have its own address initially, a small mailbox had been added next to the one for the main house on the road. She was told adding the letter 'B' to her address would help the mail to be separated but it made no difference. The postal workers shoved everything into the main box all the same. As she walked past the main house she noticed a shutter on the second story had come loose and mentally noted that she needed to email one of the kids about that.

The main mailbox was overflowing. She sorted through it all, separating between her mail, the few pieces addressed to the main house and the massive pile of junk mail. She hadn't seen any of the kids in a couple weeks so she used her key to let herself into the main house, placing the mail on the table in the entryway.

Returning home, she flopped down on the couch and started flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch. A murder investigation show caught her eye and it wasn't long before she found herself fully engrossed in the show.

 _E: I'll be at Betsy's tomorrow around 9_

She was working the late shift at the auto shop, coming in at noon and staying until 8 to assist the sales staff with the phones and whatever else they needed. With the holiday coming up many dealerships were running summer ads and Jeff had come up with the idea of Whiskey Wednesday's. For every car sold on a Wednesday, a bottle of high end whiskey was gifted to the buyer. Emma thought it was crazy, who cared about whiskey compared to a car payment, but the crazy idea had worked, causing the shop to increase their weekly sales.

 _K: Good, Betsy has missed you_

 _E: How would you know?_

 _K: I stopped in the other day and she mentioned you hadn't been in in a while_

 _E: Poaching my local spots? Bad form Jones_

 _K: You don't own it. See you tomorrow_

 _-/-_

"Emma!" The old woman exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in ages!" She came around the counter to give Emma a hug.

Emma wasn't big on hugs but had quickly learned they were popular in the small town. Betsy hugged her, David's wife Mary Margaret hugged her, Rita at the Chamber of Commerce hugged her even though they'd barely had a conversation. Luckily Ruby wasn't a hugger. Emma didn't think she could take someone she saw nearly every day wanting to hug her.

"I know Betsy. I didn't realize it had been so long." Emma said, returning the hug.

Betsy stepped back and appraised her. "You're not eating well. I can tell." She clicked like a grandmother. "Tell that chef at the restaurant he needs to make you a real meal!"

"I eat! I think I've even gained weight." Emma argued goodnaturedly.

Betsy shook her head. "You need a crepe. Your usual?"

Emma looked over at the display counter. Betsy had a few fruit tarts out, the fresh fruit glistening under the lights. "Yeah but could I have some berries too? They look great."

"Of course. Let me get your hot chocolate started." Betsy said turning to go back into the kitchen. The chime in the front door sounded and Killian came in. "Killian! So good to see you again! Are you joining Emma?"

"If she'll have me." He teased sliding into the chair across from where Emma sat. Emma rolled her eyes at him while Betsy took his order and headed into the kitchen to get their food started. "Good morning, love."

"Morning. No Brinkley?" Emma asked.

"Not this time." He answered and they fell into easy conversation, talking about her late shift at the auto shop, Brinkley's accomplishments with new tricks and when he would be at the bar again.

Betsy brought out their crepes and Emma immediately dug in, savoring the cinnamon goodness she has missed. "God how did I go so long without one of these?" She practically moaned.

"Shall I learn how to make those too?" Killian joked.

"Betsy would never tell you. Not with how good these are. She'd lose business." Emma replied.

"Even if I only promised to make them for you?" Killian asked.

"Especially then. But who else do you think you'd be making them for?" Emma asked then winced at how much she sounded like a jealous girlfriend.

Killian winked. "Brinkley."

"Yeah okay." Emma said letting him know she wasn't believing him in the least. "So have you heard of Assateague Island?"

"I have not. Why?" Killian asked.

"It has ponies. Wanna go see them?" Emma asked.

"Ponies? On an island?" Killian echoed back to her confused.

"Yes. They've been there since the 1600's and there's a big swim to Chincoteague island every summer. They're wild and right on the beach. You can drive right past them or walk up to them, but they are wild so that doesn't always end the best." Emma explained.

"That sounds rather interesting, love." Killian said slowly.

"I'm off this whole weekend. Do you want to go Saturday? I promise it's something worth seeing." Emma asked, watching the shocked expression come over his face. "What?"

"Nothing, love. Yes, I'd like to see that with you." He answered.

"Not nothing. Why did you give me that look?" Emma pushed.

Killian sighed. "Just a brief moment of surprise that you'd like to spend your day off work with me." Emma frowned and he rushed to continue. "You're a guarded person, Emma and I respect that. You wanting to include me means a lot to me is all."

Emma shook her head, not knowing how to respond to that. "You could bring Brinkley." She said finally.

"I'm sure he'll love it. Or think he's a pony. You never know with that one. Perhaps a picnic lunch?" Killian asked.

"Yeah that sounds good. What do you want me to make?" Emma wanted to know.

"I believe I can handle that. I'll drive as well since I have more space." Killian answered.

"I can't let you drive and bring lunch." Emma argued.

"Aye, but you can. _It's how a lady should be treated."_ Killian said with a grin _._

Emma was waiting for him to play that card. She just hadn't expected it to be so soon. She didn't understand how offering to do anything for the date-outing she had mentioned was messing with his plans. Emma thought it over for a few minutes, finishing her crepe and nearly all of her hot chocolate before responding.

"Fine. This time. But don't think I won't fight you on this again." Emma said finally.

Killian nodded and Emma could tell he was slightly surprised she didn't put up more of a fight. If she was being honest with herself, she was curious to see just what he would do when given a pretty blank canvas of a picnic lunch on the beach.

"Can I at least bring beach chairs? You could bring the frisbee for Brinkley. It's usually not too crowded there." Emma asked. "Oh and it's past Ocean City. Are you sure you don't want me to drive?"

"I'm quite sure love. If you don't mind telling me how to get there, I'm fine with driving and yes, please bring beach chairs." Killian replied. "What time do you want to go?"

"It doesn't matter to me. It can get pretty hot there." Emma said.

"The earlier the better than I suppose. How early do you usually get up?" He asked.

Emma laughed. "I have no internal alarm clock. The insomnia really messes with that. I've learned to function on very little sleep. Usually early."

Killian nodded in understanding. "Same for me. Anymore than a four hour stretch of sleep is unusual. I tend to wake with the sunrise. Would leaving at nine work for you?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Glancing at her phone she noted the time. "I should probably get going. I'm picking up lunch for Ruby before my shift." She stood and walked over to the counter where Betsy was doing a poor job of not listening to their conversation. Emma pulled a twenty from her back pocket and handed it to the other woman. "Don't let him pay you." She whispered before heading back over to Killian who was standing up.

"You just paid the bill didn't you." He asked frowning at her.

Emma grinned. "Deal with it."

"That's bad form Swan!" Killian said in mock anger.

"Despite this treat a lady thing you're doing, it's 2015. I can pick up a meal here and there. Especially since I invited you." Emma countered. "I'll see you Saturday, yeah?"

"You're going to be a challenge, aren't you? See you on Saturday. Have a great day at work." Killian said shaking his head ruefully.

When Emma closed the door behind her, Betsy snorted. "She's going to keep you on your toes, that one. But I'm real glad she's opening up to you."

"Thanks Betsy. Don't let her pay the next one, okay?"

Betsy grinned at him. "I make no promises."

-/-

 _K: Is there anything you dislike that I shouldn't pack for our picnic lunch?_

 _E: olives and anchovies_

 _K: Really Swan?_

 _E: You eat rum raisin ice cream. How the hell am I supposed to know what you're putting in a picnic lunch._

 _K: what's wrong with rum raisin?_

 _E: Everything. If the last carton of ice cream in the entire world was rum raisin I wouldn't even eat it then_

 _K: Good to know if it comes to that I won't have to share with you. :) So, aside from olives and anchovies, all else is fair game?_

 _E: I can't think of anything else I hate_

 _-/-_

Emma stood in front of her closet Saturday morning unsure of how to dress. It was still chilly in the morning but was expected to warm up quite a bit in the afternoon. Eventually she decided on layers, fashion be damned. It wasn't as though she was a highly fashionable person to begin with but Emma knew Ruby would have a cow if she knew Emma was wearing cropped gray yoga pants and a navy blue tank with a hoodie over her new bikini on a non-date.

 _E: bring/wear swim trunks_

 _K: Yes ma'am_

She pulled her hair into a messy braid, the tail of it hanging over her right shoulder. _You should look pretty for yourself. Anyone else who sees it is just a perk._ Ruby's voice piped up in her head, causing Emma to add some waterproof mascara and clear lipgloss to her face. She pulled the largest beach bag she owned down from the top shelf of her closet and added a blanket large enough for two to sit on, a bottle of bug spray and two types of sunblock. She added in towels as well, wanting to be prepared if they chanced the frigid ocean temperatures.

Emma heard his truck pull up a few minutes before nine. She quickly slid her feet into her flip flops and tossed her wallet and phone into the large beach bag. Before Emma could out the door, Killian knocked on it. She pulled it open, pleased to find Killian had opted to dress casually too; a gray fitted t-shirt with blue and gray striped swim trunks. "I heard you pull up. I was just about to come out. You didn't need to knock."

Killian shook his head slightly. "Nope. A gentleman simply does not wait in the car or honk when arriving at a woman's house. He exits the car, knocks on the door, introduced himself if it is not the woman who answers, waits until she is ready to leave, takes her things" he said, taking the beach bag from her hand, "and opens the vehicle door for the lady."

Emma shook her head back at him. "Fine." She hopped up into the truck taking her bag back from him and placing it at her feet. Brinkley sat in the middle of the bench seat, scooting over closer to Emma when Killian came around the other side and got into the truck.

Assateague was more crowded than Emma expected. Clearly the unusually warm temperatures had brought out not only the locals but even some tourists, judging by the array of license plates in the parking lot, to the beach. Tossing her bag over one shoulder and grabbing one of the chairs with her other hand, Emma headed toward the beach looking for a spot. There weren't too many people on the beach, most were walking around the park, but she wanted to put space between them and the other beachgoers. There was an empty patch of sand to the far right. "Is over there ok?" She asked Killian.

"Wherever is fine with me." Killian replied.

Emma headed toward the spot, noticing that Brinkley was very close to her side. When they arrived to it, she dropped her bag and set up the chair. Brinkley hovered right by her, nearly causing her to bump the chair into him. "Why is he acting like this?" Emma asked.

Killian looked down the beach. A few ponies were wandering around on the beach, coming up to blankets and beach chairs sniffing for food. "I'm not sure love. I think he wants to protect you from the ponies. Brinkley, come over here. Leave Emma alone."

With a whine Brinkley backed away from Emma, but didn't stop watching her. Killian helped her spread out the large blanket she had brought, tucking the closer ends up their chairs and putting the cooler of food he had brought on a farther away corner. As though he knew they needed something to hold down the final corner, Brinkley laid at the edge of the blanket, facing Emma.

Emma plopped down in the chair, taking the bottle of water Killian handed her. "Thanks. I feel like I'm being stalked or something." She laughed.

Killian shook his head. "I'm quite sorry love. Had I know he was going to act like this, I'd have left him at home."

"It's okay, just kinda weird. Do you want to go walking along the shore? Maybe he'll calm down or something?" Emma asked and Killian readily agreed, grabbing the frisbee he had brought along for Brinkley.

"Hey I recognize that." Emma teased him. Killian flushed.

Brinkley led them both down to the water, heading right into the cold bay. "I'm cold just looking at him!" Emma said.

"I know. I can't wait until it's warm enough for to go swimming." Killian replied.

"Yeah...that's like never. The ocean is barely warm enough for me at the end of August." Emma replied. "I prefer pools. Ruby has a cousin who has one and we go over there sometimes or Jeff lets us use his golf course membership because they have a pool there too."

They walked along the shore, picking up shells and rocks that caught their interest. When there was more than ample distance between them and the other beachgoers, Killian started throwing the frisbee for Brinkley. Emma laughed, watching Brinkley jump up in the air to grab it or dive headfirst into the water to retrieve it. It was proving to be a hotter day than Emma expected. She pulled off the hoodie, leaving the tank top on. "Mind if we head back to the chairs? I want to put on sunblock."

Brinkley dutifully followed them back to the chairs without a complaint and resumed his previous spot on the corner of the blanket after a large shake to dislodge all of the sand from his fur. Killian barely had time to warn Emma before granules of wet sand and water flew off Brinkley's coat. "He'll need a bath tonight." Killian said, shaking flung sand off his arm.

Emma coated herself in a layer of sunblock and handed the can to Killian who refused until she fixed him with a sharp glare. "Fine, love. I'll put on the sun protectant." He said and sprayed his arms and legs.

"I didn't have breakfast...can we eat now?" Emma asked sheepishly.

"Of course! I hope you haven't been hungry all along! I don't intend to starve you." Killian replied, getting up from his chair and opening the cooler.

Emma sat down on the blanket next to him. "What did you bring?"

"A bit of this and that." He pulled out a zip top bag with sliced bread, followed by an assortment of plastic containers. "Cheese, Italian meats, fruit, veggies and cookies."

Emma's eyes widened. "Wow. You really went all out there, didn't you?" She asked, looking at the container that had more than one type of cheese. "I would have been fine with chips and a sandwich you know."

Killian shrugged. "I thought this could be more fun." He pulled a sturdy plastic plate out from the cooler and handed it to Emma, gesturing his hand toward the containers, indicating she should take whatever she wanted.

Plate sufficiently full with a variety of everything Killian brought, Emma leaned back against her chair and dug in, watching the waves roll in in front of them. Killian loaded up a plate as well, tossing a few cheese cubes to Brinkley who gobbled them up right away. When she was done, Emma moved back into the chair, stretching her legs out in front of her and wishing she had chosen to wear shorts instead. She thought the light gray fabric would keep her cool but it was doing quite the opposite under the strong rays of the sun.

A short time passed before Killian turned to her. "Bloody hell I feel as though I'm melting."

Emma nodded in agreement. "It's going to be freezing but wanna put our feet in the water to cool off?"

Emma hesitantly made her way closer to the water, letting her feet adjust once again to the chilled sand. Killian, on the other hand, strode ankle deep into the frigid waters without even flinching. Turning back he saw Emma still a few feet away from him. "This feels wonderful. Come on, now."

"I don't know if I really want to be cold." Emma hesitated.

Brinkley went bounding into the water, jumping around and splashing Killian who once again, didn't even flinch. Within a few minutes his shirt was soaked in some places, clinging to his skin. He frowned at the dog. "Look what you did. I'm not driving home shirtless!" He said grabbing the hem and pulling the shirt up and over his head.

Emma forgot how to breathe for a second. _Jesus._ Dark hair covered his chest and stomach, toned just enough to make it obvious he was fit but didn't take it to the extreme. She swallowed hard, blinking a few times. "Love would you mind putting this back on the blanket?" He asked, tossing the shirt to her.

By some stroke of dumb luck Emma's arm reached out at the right time and caught the shirt in midair. She knew if she didn't turn away then it would be obvious how much she was staring at his shirtless form. She blinked hard and spun around, fingers clenching in the soft cotton of the shirt as she returned it to the blanket. With her back to him, she took a deep breath. _Get ahold of yourself Emma._ She told herself, wishing Ruby had never put all of those sexual thoughts about Killian into her mind. _Pretty sure you would have gotten there all on your own_ the voice in her head reminded her. She needed to even the playing field. She pulled off her tank top and wiggled out of the yoga pants, folding both and putting them on her chair before returning back down to where Killian and Brinkley were waiting for her.

Despite all essential parts being covered and knowing full well that the bikini was not at all risque, Emma felt exposed. She forced her arms not to cross over her chest and kept her chin held high. Killian had his back to her, picking up the frisbee that Brinkley had just retrieved. He turned to the right to throw it, his eye catching her. She watched as his lips parted, tongue coming to rest in the corner, the frisbee falling only a few feet from where he stood. His eyes traveled the length of her body and back up. Emma felt her body flush, not with embarrassment but with womanly pride that he was having such a physical reaction to her. All feelings of being exposed washed away. "Killian?" She asked coming towards him, her body subconsciously adding a sway to her walk.

He blinked a few times, shaking his head slightly as to clear his mind. His hand came up to scratch behind his ear and he cleared his throat. "You're stunning."

She shook her head brushing away the compliment and edging closer to him. Focusing on him, she hadn't realized how close she got to the water until a wave came up, the icy waters dancing over her toes. She let out an undignified squeak, jumping at the cold.

Killian laughed. 'It doesn't take long to get used to it. Come on." He said holding out his hand to her.

She found herself taking it and edging closer, gritting her teeth as another icy wave rolled over her feet. A few more steps and she was standing with him in ankle deep water. Goosebumps erupted over her skin and her teeth chattered. "You're cr-crazy. It's free-freezing."

He stepped closer, facing her. "Think of something else." He said in a low voice.

Her brain went _there._ What it would be like to kiss him, to stand in his embrace her face pressed against his chest, to feel him move beneath her. She nearly jumped when his hands came up to rub her arms, his intent obviously to warm her but her brain had other ideas.

"Still cold?" He asked.

"Huh?" Emma replied absently, still lost in thoughts.

That salacious grin spread over his face. "Told you it would work, although I'd love to know what you're thinking about, biting your lip like that."

Emma pulled herself from her thoughts, forcing herself not to blush. "Nothing."

He stepped even closer, ducking his head down closer to hers. His fingertips still trailed up and down her arms, now creating goosebumps of anticipation instead of warmth. "I think the lady is thinking deliciously inappropriate thoughts but fear not, Swan. The gentleman will not think any less of you for such, shall we say, _impure_ thoughts?"

Her body nearly groaned in protest as she stepped back from him, effectively ending his touch. "You wish."

"You have no idea." He muttered, so low that Emma wasn't positive she heard him correctly.


	18. Chapter 18

**Well, that was a hell of a winter finale, huh? So many feels. If you wanna talk about it, find me on tumblr. My name is the same as on here.**

* * *

Chapter 18: Killian

Killian leaned the two beach chairs against the rails of the cottage porch and handed Emma her beach bag.

"What did you think of the ponies?" She asked, tilting her head to look up at him in the fading sunlight.

"Majestic beasts they are. I'll admit it is rather strange to see them so domesticated. Tis not every day you see a pony coming up to you to sniff at your lunch and see what leftovers you'll toss his way." Killian laughed.

"Yeah, they can be a bit of a nuisance." Emma agreed. "There's not many places like that, at least that I know of, where you can just hang out with wildlife without being in any real danger."

From the truck, Brinkley let out a series of short barks. Killian took Emma's hand in his. "I think he just told me to shut up and kiss you already." Killian joked.

"Kiss me?" Emma's voice came out much breathier than she intended.

He squeezed her fingers. "Your hand I mean." He said, clearing his throat and hoping he wasn't blushing. He noticed she didn't look entirely opposed to the idea and the flirty side of him escaped before he could do anything about it. "Unless..." he trailed off.

She hesitated a moment then averted her gaze and he knew she was thinking of a way to gently tell him it wasn't going to happen. "Even though I'm gross and sandy, we could probably progress to a hug." She offered in compromise. "Which is saying a lot, because I'm not really a hugger." She blurted out.

Killian just grinned, pulling her towards him with the hand he still held, releasing it only when he was closer enough to wrap his arms around her waist. Despite it being her suggestion her arms were slow to come around him but once they did, he allowed his posture to relax just slightly, ducking his head to press his nose into her hair and breathe in her scent, something slightly floral and comforting. He realized he could easily stand like this, breathing in her scent with her in his arms forever and be completely content. He pulled back slightly, his lips grazing against her temple as he spoke. "Thank you for showing me the island." He said softly, feeling her nod.

Brinkley barked again, causing her to pull back from him. _The dog was going to hear it later_ Killian decided. Meeting Emma's eyes he smiled. "Have a good rest of your evening Swan." He said, pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing her knuckles anyway.

"You too." She said, returning his smile.

-\\-

Killian turned on the water and placed the stopper in the tub of the guest bathroom. Armed with a massive pile of towels, Brinkley's brush and shampoo, he called the dog into the bathroom. While he loved taking Brinkley to the beach, the smell of wet dog, especially wet dog mixed with salty sea water was nearly enough to make him gag. He brushed through the canine's fur, frowning at the pile of sand that now rested on the bathroom floor. "Get in." He told the dog who obediently hopped into the tub.

Killian took off his shirt, no sense in getting it soaked again and pulled down the shower head, turning on the water and squirting down his dog. "Not cool with the barking you know. If you were on a date I surely wouldn't interrupt." Killian said and Brinkley gave him sad eyes.

Brinkley was cooperative with being bathed even going as far as allowing Killian to get him mostly dry before shaking the remaining droplets of water from his fur all over the bathroom. Frowning at the pile of sand and towels, Killian decided he would deal with it later, preferably tomorrow and headed to the master bathroom to take a shower of his own.

Stepping under the hot spray of the shower he couldn't get the image of Emma in a bikini out of his mind. He doubted it was intentional but he loved that her choice in swimwear was nautical in print. His thoughts weren't entirely sexual, he found her to be more than just physically stunning. Her intelligence and wit intrigued him, knowing of her unhappy past made him long to make her happy at every chance he was afforded. He found it especially endearing that she seemed shy as his eyes took in her bikini-clad form although it was a bit embarrassing for him to be caught staring at her like a lad looking at his first nudie magazine.

Killian wondered how much longer she'd be able to deny the physical attraction between them. His innocent attempt to warm her against the cold ocean was the first time he really saw any interest from her; in simply telling her to think of something else her eyes had darkened with desire, her teeth pressing down firmly on her bottom lip and he wanted more than anything to know what she was thinking about. Then when he mentioned kissing her, her face didn't immediately harden as he expected, instead she looked as though she were contemplating the idea before he opened his stupid mouth and spoke again.

He wasn't sure if he really would have kissed her then or not. He was struggling with maintaining good form around Emma and knew it would only be a matter of time before the attraction he felt for her won out. He could only hope he could hold out long enough that she would be more than willing to receive the affections without hesitation.

-\\-

He found himself aimlessly driving around a few days later. A sign indicating boat and jet ski rentals caught his eye and he turned his truck down the side road, following the blue painted arrow to his destination. He pulled into a gravel parking lot facing the bay. To his left was a small canal, brightly colored jet ski's sitting on lifts just above the water. In front of him were a few concrete piers leading to their wooden counterparts, boats of varying sizes filling the slips. Most were already in the water but some still remained on their lifts. A roughly built white shed sat just before the pier. A counter protruded from the front of it, a long sliding window above that and a door on the right side. RENTALS had been painted with a stencil. To his right sat an oversized trailer, a large sign hanging overhead had OFFICE in a deep blue font.

Killian wandered onto the docks first heading down the piers to look at the boats. It had been quite some time since he had been boating. Before Liam had died they had made it a Sunday tradition, whenever the water was nice to rent a boat and go out for the afternoon. They had talked of buying their own if the bookshop ever became profitable enough. The urge to buy his own vessel hit him strongly now, feeling as though it would give him another connection to his departed brother.

Chimes sounded as he entered the trailer and a frazzled strawberry-blonde woman looked up at him. "Just a minute!" She called in a harried voice and headed down the hallway to what he presumed were offices. Killian was content to look around the trailer, the right wall full of items to purchase. Life vests, water shoes, coolers and rafts. The corner housed an array of fishing poles, a small fridge had neon orange stickers spelling out BAIT. The glass case near the register held more lures than Killian had ever seen in one space. Two desks were on the left side of the trailer, both empty of employees but overflowing with stacks of paper. In the other corner was another sale section, this one hosting beach towels, sunglasses, hats and t-shirts. A case of soda was against one wall, a rack holding different snacks was nestled between the soda case and beach towels.

The woman came out of the back and started to ask if she could help him but the phone rang, interrupting her mid-sentence. Rolling her eyes, she frowned and held up a finger indicating she would be with him in a moment. "Ben!" She hissed into the phone. "You've got to be kidding me! Who is going to be at the rental shed? It's going to be the busiest weekend! Fine, goodbye."

Killian watched as she punched the off button of the cordless handset with more force than necessary and plastered on a forced smile. "Sorry about that, can I help you?" She asked.

"Perhaps I could help you. Are you looking for help this summer?" Killian found himself asking.

Her green eyes widened and she sighed in relief. "Really? Do you have experience?" She pointed at the phone with a glare. "That was Ben. He's the teenager my damn fiance hired to run the rental shed this summer and he's already quit on us, taking a job at a bar instead so he can 'hit on the ladies'". She made air quotes and rolled her eyes at the notion. "Stupid boy doesn't even realize women old enough to drink aren't going to want anything to do with his seventeen year old busboy self." She paused, taking a breath. "I'm sorry. I just unloaded a bunch of stuff on you that you totally didn't even need to know and now I bet you're not even going to want to work here...I'm just going to shut up now." Her face flamed, matching the red hues of her hair.

Killian laughed and held up his hand. "Why don't you tell me about the job Ben was going to do for you? I have experience with boats; I previously worked at a marina, fueling boats and providing general repairs."

"It's a really easy job, a monkey could do it. Not to say that you're a monkey. I mean." Her face squished up. "I put my foot in my mouth a lot." She said with a sheepish grin. "Anyway, the job is renting out the boats and jet skis to people. You make a copy of their boating license and ID and take their money. You have to make sure they are all wearing life vests. We take that really seriously. There might be times here and there where you'd need to show someone how to use the jet ski, but my husband Kris usually handles that. You'll need to put gasoline in them when they get back and make sure there aren't any damages that the customers need to pay for."

"That sounds easy enough." Killian replied holding out his hand to her. "I'm Killian Jones."

Her hand came up to her mouth, her face flushing again. "Oh! I'm Anna. I'm really not this much of a terrible people person, I promise. It's just a crazy day. Kris isn't here and I'm not used to running the place by myself."

"It's quite alright, lass. It's nice to meet you, Anna. I'm not looking for permanent employment but if you needed help to get through this week and the upcoming weekend I'd be more than willing to help you out." Killian said.

The door chimed behind them and a tall, burly man came through. "Kris!" Anna shouted. "Ben quit, but this guy here, Killian can help us. Please say he can help us!"

Kris blinked dumbly at his soon-to-be wife a few times. Killian held out his hand to him which he took and shook firmly. "Killian Jones. I came in here when Anna was taking a call from Ben. It seems as though he's found other employment for the summer and will not be able to run the rental shed. I was just telling her that I have experience with boats and would love to help you out until you were able to find someone else." Killian explained.

'That would be amazing. I used to run the shed myself but I wanted to expand the business and start taking customers out on fishing tours so I hired Ben to run the shed during those times and so I could actually take a break or a day off every once in awhile. It's not a full time job and I can't pay you much-" Kris said.

Killian interrupted. "Whatever you're able to pay is fine. I'd love to be near the water."

Kris nodded and turned to his wife. "Anna, I'm going to talk to Killian a bit more and have him fill out the employment paperwork if I don't scare him off."

Anna nodded and Kris indicated Killian should follow him down the hallway. Kris entered the second door on the right, a small office, as Killian had expected. The walls were painted a deep red nearly matching the red hues of the dark wood furniture. A flat screen television was mounted to one wall. A leather office chair sat in front of the desk, a reclining one to the other side of that. One of those gag gift plastic fish was mounted to the wall behind the desk. Kris must have sent off the motion sensor because the fish turned its head and sang in an off key voice "Billy the bigmouth bass was caught with a shiny lure, flopping 'round on the boat floor. Got the name big mouth from always flapping my gills, not large enough to bring in them trophy winning bills! This wall is where I now rest, checkin' out the fishin' best!"

Killian's eyes widened and Kris hung his head. "I'm sorry. I hate that damn thing. I take out the batteries all the time, but Anna comes behind me and puts them back in. She thinks the blasted thing is cute."

Killian laughed. "It's a conversation piece; that is for sure."

Kris laughed too. "So who is Killian Jones and why does he want to work for me for no money?" Kris asked getting right to the chase.

Killian appreciated his directness. "I'm from Ireland originally but I'm renting a condo in the town south of here right now. I've always loved the water, spent most of my childhood near it. My brother and I used to go out every Sunday if the weather was nice. I don't need to work, I was paid nicely for selling my previous business but I want to keep busy. I play guitar too, I have quite a few nights where I'll be playing in bars or on the promenade, I found that first. I hope it won't be an issue."

"The rental hours are typically ten to four. Sometimes we get customers wanting to go out earlier in the morning and if we can accommodate them, we will. You'd be able to leave no later than six, Anna and I try to get out of here by seven every night. All of my fishing tours will get back here no later than three so if you needed to cut out early for a gig, I could cover it. If you could move the tradition with your brother, we're closed on Mondays unless it's a holiday, then we close Tuesday." Kris replied.

Killian shook his head. "That won't be necessary. We ran a bookstore in Connecticut. I sold it and came down here after he passed."

Kris winced. "I'm sorry. If I haven't put my foot too far in my mouth, I'd love to have you join our skeleton crew."

Killian assured him that he had not, taking the pack of employment paperwork from the other man and quickly filling it out. "When did you want me to start?"

"Is tomorrow too soon?" Kris asked.

"Not at all. Ten?" Killian confirmed.

"That would be great. You really have no idea how much you're helping us out here. I'm so happy you came by!" Kris said, getting up and walking Killian out.

-\\-

Killian's first day of work went rather smoothly. Anna showed him how to use the cash register at the front if he ever needed to. He helped Kris gas up the boats and jet skis, went over the system to record rentals and even reorganized the board of keys alphabetically by boat name. After a quick lunch Kris decided he was more than knowledgeable enough to handle the rental shed on his own and since there were no customers, he suggested they make a few laps with the jet skis so Killian could see the buoys Kris had out in the bay. "In case someone gets stranded in the bay, they can read me the number off the red buoys and then we can come rescue them." He had explained.

He left the marina early Friday, stopping home quickly to shower and change and let Brinkley out for a few minutes, before grabbing his guitar and heading to the bar. It was the first night he'd be playing outside.

"You look tan." Emma commented, sliding onto the stool beside him after her shift.

"That would be because of my new job." He told her smugly with a grin.

"Oh God, what are you a lifeguard or something?" Ruby chimed in, replacing the empty beer in front of him with a full one.

Killian shook his head and laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you Ruby, but no I am not protecting swimmers from the dangers of the ocean. Do you know of the small marina in Dewey? I happened to stop in there a few days ago, just wanting to inquire about their rentals and found that they were in need of employment for their rental shed. I offered to help them out until they find a suitable replacement."

Ruby frowned. "So you get to spend your entire day outdoors in the sun? I'm so jealous."

"You wouldn't be the first time it rained." Emma piped up, smirking at her friend before turning back to Killian. "That's cool. I'm guessing you're working the whole weekend?"

Killian frowned. "Yes and most of next week as well. The owner is holding interview this week and hopes to find a more permanent replacement by the following week. Until then," Killian said with a grin as he stretched his tanned arms out on the bar "I'll get to work on my tan."

"You better be wearing sunblock." Emma said.

"You're cute when you show you care about me." He teased her, watching as her eyes widened at his words. "But do not worry, love. Anna, the owner's fiancée is as much a stickler about sunblock as you are. She wouldn't let Kris or I onto the dock until we both had it on."

Emma nodded and called out to David as he walked past them. "You have me scheduled off for the tenth, right?" She asked.

"Yes. I don't have you scheduled to come back in until the following week." David replied.

"What are you doing on the tenth?" Killian asked curiously.

"Nothing. I just don't work that day. I don't want to talk about it." Emma said and by her tone Killian knew not to press her.

When Emma went to the bathroom Killian called Ruby over. "Why doesn't Emma work on June tenth?" He asked.

Ruby shook her head. "I don't know. Ever since she came here, she takes off on that day. I know she doesn't go anywhere and I've asked why but she won't tell me."

"It's not her birthday, is it?" Killian asked.

"No, that's in October. It's probably related to her past, but she won't tell me and flipped out the one day I pushed so now I just let it go." Ruby explained.

"Interesting." Killian replied taking a long swig of his beer.

* * *

 **Review? Now that I have the entire outline of this story planned out I'm trying to get far enough ahead in the writing that I can start sharing more than 1 chapter a week with you. I'm thinking this will end up in the 40-50 chapter range, which is insane but I hope you'll stick it out with me! :) The slow burn is coming to an end, I promise.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: You won't find out the details of why Emma hides away on June 10th yet, but I think you'll like this chapter all the same. ;)**

* * *

Chapter 19: Emma

After finishing her shift at the auto shop Emma drove to the liquor store, picking up a bottle of top shelf rum and a two liter of soda. The soda was just for show, Emma planned to drink the rum straight from the bottle, but couldn't stop herself from purchasing the soda as well. Word had a way of getting around in a small town and while Emma would occasionally throw back a shot or two at one of the local bars, for some reason she preferred the liquor store cashier to think she was having a night of mixed drinks instead.

Arriving home, Emma discarded the soda on the kitchen counter and brought the bottle of rum with her to the bathroom. She filled up the bathtub, adding nearly half a bottle of sweet pea scented bubble bath. Stripping off her clothes she tossed them in a pile in the corner. Emma placed her phone and the bottle of rum on the edge of the tub and then sank into the bubbly, perfumed water, closing her eyes and allowing her body to relax.

A few moments later she twisted off the top of the rum and took a healthy swallow, followed by three more. It didn't take long before the alcohol made its way into her system, assisting the warm water in relaxing her tense muscles. Her head rested against the tiled wall, eyes closed as she tried to let the alcohol stop the constant musings of her brain.

When the water cooled Emma stood up and toweled off, wrapping her body in a soft cotton robe and exited the bathroom with the bottle of rum in hand. She put one of the few DVD's she owned into the player and curled up on the couch to watch one of her childhood favorite movies.

The movie wasn't more than halfway through when Emma felt her eyelids begin to get heavy. She chugged the rum straight from the bottle, relishing in the burn as the liquid made its way down her throat. She knew she would have one hell of a hangover tomorrow, but it would allow to her sleep tonight and hopefully through the better part of the day. That way she didn't need to remember. And if she didn't remember, she wouldn't feel the pain.

-\\-

Her bladder insisted she wake up the next day. Prying one eye open, she groaned. Her head felt like a pile of bricks and the harsh sunlight filtering through the window stabbed at her brain. She stood slowly, feeling the alcohol slosh in her stomach and waited until the room stopped spinning before taking slow, careful steps toward the bathroom.

Vomiting crisis averted, she peeked at her phone and saw it was still morning. She grabbed the bottle of rum off the coffee table and took it into the bedroom with her. Emma closed the blinds and pulled the curtains across, darkening her bedroom instantly. She crawled into bed, cradling the bottle like a baby for a few minutes before removing the top and taking a few long drinks. Capping the bottle she placed it on the opposite pillow and flopped over, pulling the blanket and pillow over her head.

When she awoke again she was so parched her tongue felt permanently attached to the roof of her mouth. Prying it off, she stumbled toward the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, downing it in a few gulps. She immediately regretting the action as the liquid sloshed around her stomach. From the couch her phone beeped.

 _K: Check your front porch_

Even though there was no one there to see her, Emma shook her head, wincing at the movement. There was no way she was seeing him or anyone else today. Today was her day of misery. She wallowed, drank and sometimes cried but visitors were not, nor would they ever be a part of this day. Her phone beeped again.

 _K: Don't worry love, I won't pop out from behind a tree. It's simply a gift._

Emma frowned, confused as to how he was reading her thoughts. Grabbing a pair of sunglasses, Emma tiptoed over to her front door and peeked out the window. The only car in the driveway was hers and everything looked as it should be. Confident he was telling the truth, she unlocked the door and opened it just enough to peek her head out. Despite the sunglasses she wore, the sun was not to be ignored, the blinding light of day causing her head to throb. It took her a moment to focus, to see that just beyond the screen door sat a box. Curiosity got the better of her so she reached out and grabbed the box as quickly as someone still drunk and with a hangover could manage.

Bringing the box over to the couch she sat down and opened it. The box was incredibly heavy and Emma was hesitant to find out what was inside. A folded sheet of paper sat on top of layers of tissue paper. Unfolding it, Emma read the note.

 _Dear Emma,_

 _I am no stranger from hiding away from the world. I spent months inside, drowning my sorrows in bottles of rum after the death of my brother. While I do not know what specifically causes you to fade from our presence today, I wanted to let you know that you will be missed. I hope that something I've enclosed will help to brighten your day and remind you that no matter what you are struggling with today, it will get better as time passes. Your wounds will heal and should you ever feel like sharing, Brinkley and I are most obliged to lend an ear, shoulder and paw of comfort._

 _Fondly,_

 _Killian & Brinkley_

 _(Silly dog thinks this should be signed Brinkley & Killian…)_

Emma didn't realize she was crying until a tear dripped from her chin and onto the paper beneath her. She had promised herself that this year she wouldn't cry. She'd get drunk and forget, but she would be strong enough not to cry. As though that single tear had unleashed a flood gate, Emma found them falling from her eyes faster than she could wipe them away. Giving into the pain, she brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and allowed herself to cry. Sobs shook her body, causing her to gasp for breath as the tears continued to pour from her eyes. Her fingers clenched in the soft material of the robe. As it had every year before, her heart physically hurt.

Some time had passed before Emma was able to get a hold of herself. She blew her nose and washed her face with cold water, hoping it would help with the redness. Making her way back to the couch, she peeled back the layers of tissue paper to see what Killian had included.

She pulled out a still warm thermos first and uncapped it, deeply inhaling the rich chocolate scent. She took a small sip, hoping the rich chocolate wouldn't further upset her alcohol-filled stomach. When she knew it would stay put, she continued going through the box, pulling out a bouquet of hand-picked wildflowers with a single pink rose in the center, an assortment of candy bars, a box of microwave popcorn, a small bottle of vodka, a handful of gossip magazines, a bottle of red nail polish, a soft lavender colored robe, a fluffy stuffed golden retriever and CD titled "Sounds of the Ocean".

Emma started crying again. No one had ever done anything like this for her before and she couldn't help but be touched at his thoughtfulness. She loved that he included so many different things. While some might think it was because he didn't know her well enough to pick something that would bring her comfort, Emma knew he chose so many things because they all would help in their own way.

 _E: Thank you. You didn't need to do this._

He responded a few seconds later. _I WANTED to. And don't tell me you don't deserve it or I did too much. You DO deserve it and perhaps a bit selfish of me, but I wanted you to have multiple reasons to think of me. I have to ask. Is there anything you dislike?_

Emma found herself smiling sadly at the box of items. _No, it's all great. Thank you again._

 _K: You're welcome, love. I hope you're doing okay._

 _E: This helped._

 _K: Glad to hear it._

Emma forced herself off the couch and placed the flowers into a vase, the pink rose standing tall in the center of the wildflowers. She grabbed another bottle of water and some aspirin. She lugged the box and her phone back to her bedroom. She yanked off her old robe and put on the new one, loving how soft it felt against her skin. Swallowing the pills with a large gulp of water, Emma hugged the stuffed animal to her chest and fell back asleep, hoping to sleep off the hangover.

It was early evening when she woke again, her head feeling marginally better. She took a real shower this time, scrubbing the leftover streaks of mascara from her previous crying session from her face and fastening her wet hair back into a braid. As she was pulling the robe on again over her pajamas, she heard her phone beep.

 _K: In two minutes there will be a knock at your door. Don't worry, no one will be there. It's simply the delivery driver leaving your dinner. Enjoy._

Emma's eyes widened in shock when not more than a few minutes later there was a knock at her door. Even though Killian said no one would be there, she was more than glad she had showered to wash away the worst of her previous crying session and hangover. Opening the door, she saw taillights of a truck leaving her driveway. She grabbed the bag of food and brought it to the couch.

The smell of fried food wafted up to her. With as much as she drank, she didn't think she'd be able to eat anything today until she smelled the food. Pulling out the first container she found a huge pile of onion rings. The second container held two grilled cheese sandwiches, made on thick slices of hearty bread. A third container labeled DESSERT revealed sliced bananas in a cinnamon sauce and a fourth container had slices of cucumber. The cucumber perplexed Emma the most.

Grabbing her phone she quickly typed. _How?_

He replied immediately. _Ruby might have filled me in on your affinity for grilled cheese. I did not ask Betsy to open up to make you a crepe, I simply purchased some cinnamon sauce from her earlier today and warmed it up with a sliced banana to imitate her crepe that you're so fond of. The cucumbers are for your eyes. They help with puffiness._

Emma sat there with her mouth hanging open. The man had really thought of everything.

Her phone beeped again and she found that he had sent a video. Brinkley's face appeared on the screen first, tongue coming dangerously close to the screen, Killian yelling at him to calm down. Emma found herself laughing. Then Killian's face came into focus and he smiled, ducking his head down to be level with Brinkley's. 'Hi Emma. Brinkley just wanted to tell you that he wants to go to the beach again with you soon. Be well, Emma." He fixed her with a meaningful look before the video ended.

Emma found herself wanting to cry again, this time from happiness. It didn't feel as though saying thank you to Killian would ever be enough. For the past three years she hid away on this day, not having any contact with anyone and hating the whole world. It had barely been a month since they first met and yet he knew her so well. He didn't push but didn't let her hide away entirely like she had before. He understood.

Her stomach growled and she realized she didn't want the food to get cold. She ate the first grilled cheese without even tasting it, the thick bread and grease lining her stomach in the perfect way greasy food can only do for a hangover. She ate the second grilled cheese much slower, mixing up every few bites with the onion rings until both were polished off as well. Emma decided to save the dessert for later, but placed the cucumber slices on her eyes, leaning back against the couch and forcing herself to think of only pleasant thoughts.

She spent the rest of the evening flipping through the gossip magazines and painting her toenails red. Polishing off the dessert, Emma curled back up in bed, holding the stuffed dog to her chest. For the first time in many years, she slept through the night.

-\\-

Judging by the amount of people milling around the boardwalk, summer was in full swing. Emma wasn't sure whether she wanted to be glad or upset that she would miss Killian's first performance on the boardwalk. Part of her wanted to be there to see it, to listen to him sing and play and part of her was thrilled her shift at the restaurant overlapped his playing hours. It would be the first time she saw him since he sent her the gifts and dinner. They had sent texts and Emma had thanked him nearly a hundred times but she felt the need to still say it in person.

Ruby told her he stopped in the bar before going on stage, taking a shot for good luck, but Emma had been with a particularly stubborn table wanting to ask her questions about every single entrée and what was included and she hadn't been able to get away before he needed to go on stage on the promenade. David was out there to cheer him on and had come in a few minutes later, telling Emma and Ruby to go take a couple of minutes to hear Killian sing.

They stood on the porch of the restaurant, not wanting to go too far in case they needed to be called back inside. From that angle, she could see Killian under the stage lights but he wouldn't be able to see her. He was in mid-song when they came out, fingers gracefully strumming over the cords as he sang. He had gathered quite the audience, every bench was full of tourists and a decently sized crowd of standing patrons had gathered behind them.

"His voice is like sex." Ruby said breaking into her thoughts.

Emma was glad the darkness of night hid her blush. "Really?"

Her friend fixed her with a glare. "Are you really going to tell me that voice on that face couldn't lure you into bed?"

Before Emma could respond David ducked his head out the door. "I'm sorry. I need you both back in here."

"What do you think about karaoke here tonight?" Ruby asked when Emma finally had a chance to make her way back over to her friend. David had been right to call them back in, it was super busy.

Emma shrugged. "It will probably go over well. Bring in a new late night crowd of tourists. How are you going to sing though?" She gestured to the crowded bar.

"David is taking care of it. He said he wants year-round staff to sit down and enjoy this, so he has the summer help specifically come in to bartend and serve. You didn't realize that when you saw you got off early tonight?" Ruby asked.

"I didn't think anything of it." Emma replied, shooting a rueful smile at Ruby before heading back over to a table that was shaking their menus in her direction.

The end of her shift came faster than Emma expected, two young waitresses coming over to relieve her of her tables and telling her she was needed outside. Pulling off her apron, Emma ducked back into the kitchen and headed over to her locker, throwing the apron inside and adding a swipe of lip gloss to her lips. Heading outside she found Ruby sitting at a picnic table near the stage, flipping through a book of songs. Victor was sitting next to her, fiddling with his beer.

David took the stage, grabbing the mic from the stand. "Hey all! Tonight is the first night we're trying out some late night karaoke. Just grab a book from the stage here," he pointed to the binders with his shoe "and fill out the form inside. Give it Brad here and he'll get you up on stage and singing for us."

A mixed drink and a shot was placed in front of Emma. She look to Ruby questioningly. "Let's have fun tonight. Victor is only having this one beer and then is taking us home."

Emma decided it was better to just agree. Drinking with friends was much better than her last drinking session alone. She clinked her shot glass against Ruby's and poured the alcohol down her throat.

Ruby continued to order shots and drinks and Emma quickly found herself feeling the effects of the alcohol. Ignoring Ruby's frown, she ordered a water, not wanting to wake up with a hangover like last time. The older she got the worse they were. She stood up and headed back inside toward the bathrooms. As she turned the corner to the ladies room, she bumped into someone. "Sorry." She muttered, swaying and realizing she was a little drunker than she had anticipated.

An arm looped around her waist, pulling her against a solid form. Tilting her head up she opened her mouth to give quite the earful to whoever thought he could grab her like that, the words dying on her lips when she realized it was Killian. "You alright there, love?" He asked in a low voice that made her heart beat a little faster than usual.

She blinked a few times. "Yeah. I'm fine. Bathroom." She pointed toward the door past him. "Ruby and Victor are at a table outside. Are you joining us?"

Killian nodded, releasing her. "Perhaps I'll just wait here for you and then you can show me where?"

Emma agreed and headed into the bathroom. She ran cold water over her wrists, hoping it would remove the flush from her skin. She hated that she turned pink when drinking. She refused to think that the blue eyed man waiting on the other side of the door for her had anything to do with it.

Feeling freer with her emotions, she linked her hand in his and pulled him toward the table where her friends sat. "Look who I found." She yelled over the music and slid back onto the bench. Killian sat down next to her. Despite the crowded area, Emma's nose honed in on the cologne he was wearing. It took every ounce of strength and dignity she still maintained not to close the gap between them and turn her face into his neck, inhaling the scent.

She had another drink while Ruby sang _I Love Rock N Roll,_ swaying back and forth in her seat to the beat, scooting dangerously closer to Killian each time. Somewhere in the back of her head the logical voice reasoned that this was a bad idea.

It was quickly shut up when Ruby had her do another shot. "I'm drunk." Ruby announced.

"I know." Emma laughed.

Victor spoke up. "If either of you want to make it into work tomorrow I think we should cut you both off now."

Ruby pouted, nudging her boyfriend's lips with her nose. "You're so good to me. Being all responsible. It's hot." Her lips finally connected with his and despite Victor's best efforts to pull her off of him, he couldn't. Ruby was extremely affection when she was drinking.

He gave Emma and Killian an apologetic look. "I think I should get her home."

Killian nodded. "Probably for the best, mate." He turned to Emma. "May I take you home?"

Emma nodded. Victor flagged down the waitress for the bill and Emma handed him her portion of the check. "Good night!" Ruby waved happily, arms wrapped around Victor's neck.

Killian stood, holding out his hand to Emma. She took it and pulled herself into a standing position, shoving her phone in her back pocket. Killian continued to hold her hand, leading her out of the bar and down the side street to where his truck was parked. He opened the passenger door for her to get in. Emma purposely slid her body against his as she passed in front of him to get inside, watching how his breath hitched.

"How's Brinkley?" She asked when he started the truck.

"He's fine." Killian answered. "Not too happy that I have employment now and can't indulge him as I used to."

"Oh right!" Emma said. "How do you like the job? Lots of pretty girls come to rent jet skis?"

Killian frowned at her, confused as to why she would ask that. "I like the job just fine. Being near the water is great. As for the customers, I haven't paid much attention to them."

Somewhere in her head Emma knew she should shut up. She was slowly sobering up but not quickly enough to reinforce the filter between her brain and her lips. "I bet they pay a lot of attention to you."

"And why would they do that?" Killian asked.

 _Shut up! Shut up!_ Her brain instructed. Her lips didn't care. "Duh." She giggled, momentarily shocked at the sound coming from her own lips. (Emma Swan did not _giggle._ ) "You're hot. Of course they're paying attention to you."

Killian laughed. "Thank you, but as I said, I haven't noticed."

 _Stop talking Emma! Stop talking right now! Bite your lip if you have to._ Her brain yelled. She did as she was told, but it still didn't stop her from talking. "You wear a shirt right? Because you should probably learn CPR if not."

Even in the darkened cab of the truck Emma could see Killian blush. She watched as his right hand left the steering wheel, scratching behind his ear. "That's a really adorable quirk." She said sincerely.

"What is?" Killian asked and even in her slightly inebriated state, she could hear the hesitation in his voice.

"The scratching behind your ear thing you do when you're nervous or embarrassed." Emma replied.

Killian made a noncommittal noise and Emma realized she might be embarrassing him. She finally managed to listen to her brain, biting her lip and keeping her mouth shut for the rest of the drive. She had sobered enough to shut up but not enough to feel any embarrassment of her own over what she had already said.

Pulling up to her cottage he shut off his truck and got out, going around to the other side to open the door for her. Emma took his hand to get down, not letting go once her feet were securely on the ground again. She held onto his hand as she crossed over the small yard and went up the steps to her porch. "I heard you sing earlier. You have a really nice voice." She whispered.

He smiled, cheeks tinged in pink. "Thank you. It was nice to see you tonight."

"You too. I thought it was going to be weird because I feel like I need to keep saying thank you for what you did so I might have left Ruby talk me into too many drinks." Emma admitted, looking away.

His thumb tucked under her chin, tilting it back up to look at him. "You don't need to keep thanking me Emma. Once was enough."

"But it's really important that you understand how much I appreciated it." Emma said.

He gave her a small smile. "I understand. If we're going to discuss thanking the other though, I should thank you for how willing you've been, allowing me to show you how you should be treated."

Emma blushed. "It might be kind of nice."

"Oh yeah?" He grinned at her.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I said _might_ be."

Killian hummed, beaming down at her. "I'll take that." He pulled the hand of hers he was still holding up to his mouth, pressing his lips against her skin. "Until next time?"

Emma smiled and nodded, letting him drop her hand and head back down the steps toward his truck. She might regret it in the morning but at that moment Emma ignored every cynical ounce of her body, choosing to focus only on the parts that were practically glowing with delight, having touched him. "Killian, wait."

He turned back to her curiously, stopping on the last step. She vaguely noticed it put them at nearly the same height and took it as a sign of confirmation. His eyebrows rose as she closed the distance between them, standing only a few inches apart. The desire to touch him was overwhelming.

Her fingers came forward to trace the path of the chain he wore around his neck watching as his eyes widened and he swallowed hard. She thought her intentions were clear and she expected him to have kissed her by now, but instead he was standing perfectly still, arms held stiffly at his sides. Her lips parted, tongue darting out to moisten them. His eyes followed the movement but still he did nothing.

It was likely less than ten seconds that had passed but Emma wasn't known for her patience. She stepped forward as close to him as she could be, wrapping her other hand around the back of his neck and pulled his lips against her own.

For a moment everything else ceased to exist. She felt nothing but the gentle press of his lips against her own, heard nothing but the pounding of her heart in her ears, smelled nothing but the scent of his cologne and saw nothing but the fireworks exploding behind her eyelids. The world slowly shifted back on its axis, her body swaying against his as her fingers tightened in his hair, her other hand grasping the fabric of his t-shirt to ground herself from feeling like she was going to float away. It only took him a second to respond, one hand pressing firmly against the small of her back and the other tangling in her hair as he anchored his lips to hers.

It was chaste at first, simply a press of closed lips against each other but Emma wanted more. Desire flowed through her veins, pushing away any lingering effects of the alcohol. The kiss had instantly sobered her. Her lips parted, tongue peeking out to trace the seam of his lips. His mouth opened and he took full control of the kiss, sweeping his tongue into her mouth and kissing her thoroughly. His fingers in her hair twisted, angling her head further opposite his and Emma found herself clutching onto him tighter to keep herself upright.

She knew it had been a while since she had been kissed, but she never remembered it being like this before. She felt felt lighter, near euphoric and consumed in the best way possible. He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, panting for air.

"That was not what I expected." He said breathlessly.

Emma frowned. Was it not the same for him as it was for her? Humiliation began to creep in. She turned her eyes away from him and started to disentangle herself from his arms. He tugged her back against him. "What I meant by that is that was better than I could have ever imagined."

She forced herself to meet his eyes to make sure he was telling her the truth. Blue eyes darkened with desire looked back at her, no hint of untruth within. She nodded in agreement.

His eyes fell to her lips again for a moment, before he kissed her again. Emma's lips parted again but he pulled back, leaving her swaying into him. His nose nudged against hers. "It's best if I bid you a goodnight now."

Emma just nodded dumbly at him, slowly returning her arms to her own body, forcing herself not to shiver at the loss of heat from his warmth. "Night, Killian."

* * *

 **Well, that took forever didn't it!**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Killian

Emma Swan had kissed him senseless a few days ago and then disappeared from the face of the earth.

He hoped she didn't regret it. Or, at least, all of it. Killian knew Emma had to have been pretty drunk to admit all that she did to him in his truck on the way to her cottage. He found it endearing her true thoughts came out after a few drinks and couldn't help but be a little bit curious at what else she would have been willing to admit to him, but good form won out as it always had. He had hoped she couldn't see him blush at her words but she must have because she immediately stopped talking after. He was fine if she regretting that part although had to wonder if she even remembered it, but he hoped more than anything that she didn't regret the kiss.

He held onto good form for as long as possible, his heart nearly beating out of his chest when her slender fingers came up to play with the chain he wore around his neck. Good form faltered for a moment, when her tongue peeked from between her lips, his eyes following the movement but he held fast, determined not to go back on his word to her. His heart raced with anticipation, his fingers had balled into fists, arms held stiffly, physically restraining himself from pulling the beautiful temptress into his arms. But then she'd thrown his good form right out the window, cupping the back of his neck and pressing her lips against his.

Killian had kissed quite a few women in his years but nothing had prepared him for being kissed by Emma Swan. He felt like the lone survivor in a liferaft being tossed around in a tumultuous sea, waves of emotion and senses crashing into him from all sides, threatening to capsize him and pull him under so he did the only thing a drowning man could do; he pulled her flush against him, anchoring his lips to hers.

That simple chaste kiss would have been more than enough for him. It left him breathless and dizzy from lack of oxygen and just when he thought it couldn't get more perfect, he felt the tip of her tongue tracing the seam of his closed lips. Somehow she had managed to make it erotic and innocent at the same time. Desire flowed through his veins. Pushing any remaining thoughts of good form and friendship out of his mind, his fingers tangled in her hair, angling her head and taking control of the kiss. He remembered sweeping his tongue against hers but from there it all went a bit hazy, the next clear memory he had was his forehead pressed against hers, his breath ragged.

"That was not what I expected." He had said when he thought he was in control of his faculties again. He felt her freeze against him for a second before starting to pull away. Through the haze of muddled emotions he was feeling he realized how that might have sounded and gently pulled her against him again. To be honest, it was more for his benefit than hers. He wanted to remember every second of this, how she felt pressed against him with her fingers clutching his shirt. "What I meant by that is that was better than I could have ever imagined." He tried again.

He released his hold on her slightly when she pulled back, knowing she needed to look at him for confirmation of the truth in his words. When she nodded in agreement, further conversation failed him. He knew there was more he should or could say, but he also knew there was a possibility this wouldn't happen again and he didn't want to give it up so quickly. His lips found hers again and he tried to pour all of the words he felt but couldn't verbalize into the kiss. Her lips started to part and he forced himself to pull back knowing they wouldn't be leaving her porch anytime soon if he truly kissed her again. He nudged his nose against hers, despite knowing better he was still reluctant to leave her embrace. "It's best if I bid you a goodnight now."

When she didn't respond to his text later that night he told himself it wasn't a big deal, perhaps she had fallen asleep quickly from the alcohol she had consumed. A lack of reply the next day left him more concerned, wondering if he should have stopped her from kissing him, should have reminded her that they were just going to be friends. Those thoughts were quickly shot down. She had admitted the chemistry between them and knew as well as he did that it was only a matter of time before one of them acted on it. Perhaps he should still apologize though, she might have thought he should have been the logical one.

 _I'm sorry for crossing the boundaries of our friendship_

She never replied. He tried calling her but it rang a few times and went to voicemail. _Better than going straight to voicemail_ he thought. He tried calling her again the next day and visiting Coconut's when he knew she was scheduled for a shift, but she managed to elude him. Not wanting to pressure her he decided to remain patient. He had apologized although he felt that neither of them had really done anything wrong. He was a patient man. He'd wait her out.

-\\-

As it turned out, finding a decent replacement to run the rental shed was more difficult than Kris had imagined. He held interviews for weeks, weeding through the candidates who didn't have enough experience only to be left with a few real possibilities. But each one failed to come through, one had accepted another job the day before, another wanted higher pay and a third just simply refused to respond to any of the calls.

Kris alternated between apologizing and thanking Killian. Killian told him (and Anna) more than once that he didn't mind working there. It wasn't as though it were every day, Kris had made sure of that when the first round of candidates fell though. He brought Killian in for a few days a week and never for a full shift. It was only when a fishing tour was booked and there was no one else there to run the rental shed.

"Really Kris, I don't mind at all. Stop bloody apologizing to me. If I didn't want to help you, I'd tell you." He finally exploded on the other man.

Kris hung his head, shaggy hair falling into his eyes. "I know, man. I just can't express enough how much you're helping us out. I feel terrible I told you it would only be a week or two and now it's been over a month."

Killian nodded. "If I wasn't here you'd have to cancel the fishing tours, correct?"

Kris nodded.

"And from what I gather, the fishing tours bring in a significant amount of money, more than the daily boat and jet ski rentals. I helped my brother run a business. I know what it would be like to take away the one thing that brings in the most revenue. Truly, I do not mind being here. It keeps my mind off other things." Killian said truthfully.

"A woman." Kris nodded in sympathy. "I know how that goes. Well, I did. Before Anna and I got engaged, that is."

"I'm that obvious?" Killian asked with a frown, running his fingers through his hair.

"Not really. I'm a good guesser. You wanna talk about it?" Kris asked.

Killian shook his head. "I shouldn't bother you with my petty issues. You have more important things to deal with here."

"But you could bother me. I mean, you wouldn't really be bothering me. I'm just using your words. I can probably help. Because I'm a woman. And you're having woman problems. Right? Yes? Tell me I can help?" Anna said coming up behind both men and starling them.

Killian met Kris's eye who shrugged as if to say he had no choice now. Killian knew that it was true, Anna would hound him for information even if he told her it wasn't a problem. Kris had once said she was just born to help and couldn't not do so.

Offering her a small smile Killian nodded. "Sure."

Anna looked around the docks, seeing all of the jet skis back on their lifts. "You're done out here right? If not, just leave the rest of it to Kris. Come in in and tell me." She said beaming at him.

Killian followed her into the trailer and room after Kris's office. Anna flopped down onto the worn leather couch and kicked off her flip flops, tucking her feet under her. Killian sat on the loveseat across from her. "Spill." She instructed.

Killian sighed. There was no way out of this and perhaps Anna could provide some guidance. "There's this lass that I met back in April. She doesn't open up easily but I managed to become friends with her. There's an underlying chemistry between us, we've admitted that much to each other and she knows how I feel, but I told her I'm not in the place for a relationship right now. She told me she doesn't have relationships anymore. I didn't press the issue. However, last week I drove her home after she had been drinking with a friend. Her lips were a bit looser with the alcohol, she openly flirted with me and then when I bid her a goodnight, she called me back and kissed me. Now she hasn't responded to my texts or calls and has managed to avoid me at the restaurant."

Anna thought for a moment, her finger pressed to her lips before she smiled and nodded at Killian. "She's embarrassed. She doesn't regret it because if she did she would have called and yelled at you for taking the friendship past what it was supposed to be. But she's embarrassed because she let her true feelings show and I'm going to guess she's really afraid of getting hurt so the easier thing for her to do is to hide from you."

Killian nodded. "I assumed as much."

"Just be patient with her. She'll realize that she doesn't need to be embarrassed and she'll reach out to you. I'm sure of it." Anna said with a smile.

"I haven't called her or sent any texts after she avoided me at the restaurant. I didn't want to pressure her." Killian said.

"Good! That's really good. You're right not to pressure her." Anna replied.

Killian stood. "Thanks for your help Anna." He gave her a genuine smile.

"No problem! I love to help! Please let me know if there is anything else!" Anna beamed at him.

He ran into Kris on the way out of the marina. "Thanks for that." Kris said. "I know she can be overbearing with her desire to help people, but she means well."

Killian shook his head. "She confirmed what I hoped was the truth so she was rather helpful indeed."

-\\-

"Hey Killian! I didn't know you worked here!" Killian looked up from the rental shed to find David standing in front of him.

"Aye, I happened to stop in right before Memorial weekend and they needed some help. I offered to help out until they can find a more permanent employee. What brings you here?" Killian asked, noting that the marina would be closing shortly.

"Kris and I are old friends. He told me to come down today and we'd go out and do some afternoon fishing. We rarely catch much then, but it's hard for me to get away from the restaurant in the morning." David explained.

Killian nodded in understanding. "Kris is probably in the trailer. I can call him if you'd like." He said pointing to the walkie talkie sitting on the counter.

David's eyes lit up like a child in a candy store. "Can I?" He asked excitedly.

Killian shrugged and passed over the device. "Sure, why not. Just remember Anna has one at the front counter too so she'll hear whatever you say."

David pressed the button. "Hey you big oaf, when we going fishing?"

Static crackled back at him for a moment before Kris's booming laugh came through the speakers. "Hello to you too Dave. I'll be right out, just finishing up some paperwork."

A few minutes later Kris exited the trailer with Anna on his heels. She broke into a sprint, throwing herself at David who barely had a second to brace himself for the impact of her crashing into him. Throwing her arms around his neck she broke into a stream of chatter. Killian couldn't make out everything she was saying and had no idea how David was either until he responded, telling her that Maggie was doing fine and the restaurant was well too.

"Killian, I know it's last minute but do you have plans tonight? Wanna join us? I'd have asked earlier but it slipped my mind Dave was coming today." Kris asked him.

Killian looked between the two men. He didn't have any plans for the evening and could easily tag along but he didn't want to intrude on the time of two friends who rarely got to see each other. "Oh, I don't want to intrude." He started.

"Nonsense. Come along." David insisted and Killian found himself agreeing.

Anna appeared by their sides again holding a large cooler. Killian hadn't even realized she'd run back into the trailer. "Sandwiches, chips, water and beer. One of you needs to stay sober. You know we'd lose the whole business if you got caught drinking on a company boat Kris. But I want to you to have fun. Have a good time and don't forget sunblock. Actually, put it on right now. I know you think you don't need it with it being later in the afternoon but that's really the most important time. The rays from the sun are the strongest right now. They were talking about it on the news so I'm not just making this up because I want to mother you or something you know. Oh, speaking of mothers how is Maggie's? Is she doing okay?"

Killian blinked, wondering if he would ever get used to the speed at which Anna talked and her ability to flip from conversation to conversation without a reply from anyone.

David assured her that his mother in law was doing fine and Kris began applying sunblock to appease his wife. "I'll not drink Anna." Killian found himself saying.

A flurry of hugs (as though they were leaving town, not going out on the bay for a few hours) later the three men managed to get settled into one of the fishing boats Kris owned and set out into the bay.

David immediately dug into the cooler, pulling out beers and sandwiches. He handed the beer to Killian first who began to refuse, knowing he should keep his promise to Anna but Kris butted in. "Drink the beer Killian. You're Irish and pardon my stereotyping, but I'm sure you can soberly steer a boat after one light American beer."

Killian laughed, twisting off the top of the beer. "I'm surely hope so or I think they might revoke my citizenship."

Time passed quickly, the three men chatted about their lives as they patiently waited for something to bite on the baited hooks they had cast. Kris was the only one of the three to catch anything, just a small fish not even worth keeping. When the sky took on an orange and pink hue and the sun began to lower herself from her rightful place in the sky, the trio put away their fishing gear and headed back to the marina.

Later that night Killian's phone chirped. Retrieving it from the charger in the kitchen, Killian realized it was a text from Emma.

 _E: You didn't cross any boundaries. I did._

 _K: Regrets?_ Killian replied, wincing as he waited for her reply. He knew he had to ask her but he was a bit worried to receive the answer.

 _E: No…_

Killian sensed there was more. _But?_

 _E: I don't want to lead you on._

Killian sighed in relief. _Oh Swan you aren't leading me on. You were quite clear with your intentions._

 _E: But then I kissed you._

 _K: And I kissed you back. We've determined there's a chemistry between us. This was bound to happen at some point. I'm quite glad you don't regret it as I do not either._

 _E: So….now what?_

 _K: Nothing has changed love, unless you want it to._

His phone rang. Her name appeared on the screen and he quickly accepted the call.

"Hello, love." He said softly.

"Hi Killian." After not hearing her voice for over a week it was like music to his ears. "I'm sorry I ignored you for a week."

"I'm sensing a theme here that when you are uncomfortable with something you panic and run. I don't wish for you to run from me Emma. Please just tell me that you need space again. I have no qualms with giving it to you." He said.

"I gotta work on that, I know." She admitted sounding embarrassed.

"Love I want you to know I'm not angry with you. While I do not know your reasonings for why you do these things, I do understand that they happen and I just want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. It's okay to tell me that you need space. Just please let me in enough to tell me what is going on." He asked.

Through the phone he heard her fidgeting. "I can try that." She said slowly.

"Splendid!"

"So how do you feel about fireworks?" She asked changing the subject.

"They're pretty?" He said not sure what she meant by that question.

"The fourth of July is Saturday. By some miracle I only work at the restaurant until seven. Would you want a real fourth of July at the beach experience? Sitting with hundreds of other people on blankets crammed shoulder to shoulder waiting for hours until they set them off?"

"Do you think it's worth seeing?" He asked genuinely curious.

"Yes." She said reluctantly. "I thought Ruby was crazy when she dragged me out there with all of those people but it was pretty damn cool. Everyone should see fireworks on the beach at least once."

"Then I would love to accompany you. Poor Brinkley will be so sad he's missing out on seeing you again." Killian replied.

"I'll make it up to him and I'll have Dave save you an employee parking spot. Can you meet me at the restaurant at seven? I think we'll still be able to find a spot then." Emma asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." He replied.

Emma laughed. "Okay, you don't need to take it that seriously. I'll see you there."

"Sweet dreams Emma."

* * *

Sorry if you hated me there for a few minutes in the beginning! The story picks up pretty quickly from here. I'm currently writing chapter 29. I'm hoping that if I can get the entire story finished shortly, I can begin spoiling you all by sharing more than one chapter a week.

Merry (early!) Christmas, Happy Holidays and all that good stuff!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Emma

Emma knew it was wrong to ignore Killian's attempts to contact her. She was punishing him and he had done nothing wrong. _She_ had kissed him.

That night on her porch she had come to the mental crossroads between Friendship and Something More. The arrow for Friendship was freshly painted in a neat hand; beyond it was the beach on a warm summer's day. Gentle waves rolled in lazily, lapping against the shore. A red checkered blanket was spread out over the sun-warmed sand. On a cherry-colored wooden tray sat her favorite banana crepe from Betsy's, warm cinnamon sauce running onto the plate. Next to it was a mug, steam wafting from the top and she knew it to be her favorite hot chocolate. It was safe; comforting.

The arrow for Something More was weathered, looking as though it had been left outside to face the elements unsheltered for some time. The paint was chipped, the letters faded and yellow Caution tape was wrapped haphazardly from it, the length trailing nearly to the ground. Beyond the arrow was an rickety, old wooden pier leading out to a choppy ocean. The inky black ocean matched the night sky, stars hidden by clouds and only a sliver of a moon cast an eerie light on the pier. It had partially succumbed to the ocean, a few pilings at the end barely visible above the rough waves. The rest of the pier hadn't fared much better, many of the wooden slats missing or broken. A thin, fraying rope was looped around a piling, barely securing a small boat to the pier. The boat was in similar condition as the pier, all traces of paint had faded away leaving just a dull wooden exterior. The cracks in the sides were visible from even a distance, the vessel likely only remaining above the surface because of the rope. A lamp post stood crookedly against the night sky. The glass dome protecting the light was shattered and jagged, but the light still remained. Red and blinking, it warned her of danger. It was unsafe; dangerous.

Her mind's eye flitted between the two choices. Her heart ached for the crepe, wanting to sink down on the heated sand and devour the decadent treat. Her brain eyed the pier, mentally assessing how many wooden slats would need to be replaced to make it whole again.

Questioning blue eyes met her green ones as she closed the distance between them. Initially they reminded her of the calm ocean on a sunny day but as her fingers reached out and traced the path of the necklace he wore, they darkened to match the waves that crashed against the ramshackle pier.

 _RUN! It's not safe here! Go to the blanket!_ Her heart screamed.

 _STAY!_ Her brain demanded. _It's just a pier in need of some TLC. It won't collapse on you._

She surged forward, mentally pulling down the yellow caution tape, as her lips pressed against his.

She expected regret to seep in, clouding her vision and wrapping her in its heavy blanket but it never came. Instead she felt lighter and freer than she had in years. She felt content.

The content is what unsettled her the most, causing her to ignore his calls and text. Being content meant her walls would come down; the stories of her past would slip from her lips; her heart would be subject to being broken again. She couldn't handle that again.

-\\-

Seven days later; seven days spent without Killian and his witty banter and innuendos and seven days without texts claiming to be from Brinkley, Emma realized she made a mistake.

A kiss wasn't dependent on a relationship. She knew despite what he said about not being ready, if she were to tell him that she wanted more from him he would oblige her. But she also knew that he would never push her for more. He had easily forgiven her for pushing him away before; he knew when she needed space and likely wouldn't resent her for this latest stunt.

She hoped.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." He told her when she asked if he'd be interesting in watching the fireworks with her. Hanging up the phone, Emma found herself grinning. Despite her stupidity and misguided desire to avoid him, they were okay.

-\\-

She spotted him in the crowded restaurant before he found her. He wore khaki cargo shorts and a navy blue t-shirt, contrasting against the blue of his eyes and his deeply tanned skin. (She'd have to remind him about sunblock again.) His eyes found hers through the crowd, a genuine smile breaking out on his face; one that made the skin around his eyes crinkle and his dimples appear. For a second she forgot how to breathe; no one had ever looked at her like that before.

She tucked her hands into the back pockets of the white shorts she wore. "Hey." She said shyly as he made it through the crowd to stand in front of her.

"It's good to see you again, Swan." He said, smile never slipping from his face.

"You too." She replied automatically, but realized she was speaking the truth. She was happy to see him again.

"Are you ready to join the masses? I've secured a small patch of sand." He asked holding out his hand to her.

Emma nodded, taking his hand and unable to keep her lips from curling upward.

The boardwalk was packed shoulder to shoulder with people but the beach wasn't as crowded. Killian led her down the ramp and onto the beach, heading back toward the dunes. A blanket big enough for two was spread out, a small cooler placed in the center to keep it from blowing away. She recognized the spot immediately; it was where she was sitting when Brinkley barreled into her that first day. Turning to Killian, she raised her eyebrows in amusement.

He shrugged. "It was open."

Kicking off her shoes she sat down on the blanket. "Is Brinkley sad to be left at home?"

Killian joined her. "He is, he thinks its archaic that a well behaved canine like himself isn't allowed on the beach during the summer. But, he's also afraid of fireworks so it's probably for the best that he's not here."

"People are going to be setting them off everywhere. Is he going to be okay home alone?" Emma asked, thinking back to how the dog reacted to the thunderstorm.

"He's not at home. Kris and Anna weren't going out for the fireworks tonight and offered to watch him at their house. They're bringing him to the marina tomorrow and he'll hang out with me until my shift is complete." Killian explained. "Anna really wants a dog, but it's not feasible with their schedules at the marina unless the dog came to work with them every day and Kris said that's no life for a dog. Anna babies him and feeds him an insane amount of treats so of course Brinkley loves her."

Emma laughed. "That's nice of them. I thought the saying was that the stomach was the way to a man's heart; I didn't realize it applied to dogs as well."

They settled into comfortable silence, watching the people around them. It was noisy, snippets of conversation and laughed carried over to them from others on the beach and the boardwalk above. The bandstand had large speakers playing patriotic songs all day and the seagulls perched at the top of the light posts squawked to each other, swooping down and picking up bits of discarded food every few minutes. Most families were dressed in the classic red, white and blue, children and adults alike waving small American flags, but some still wore their swimwear, choosing not to lose their precious claim on a patch of sand to return to their hotel rooms for showers and a change of clothing. Others, the older generation that had retired there were dressed in beachy eveningwear, the women in flowy dresses or pantsuits, their excessive jewelry glittering in the night. The men wore linen pants and golf shirts tucked in, a large-faced gold watch on one wrist and the classic boat shoes adorning their feet. They sat in semi-circles of high-backed beach chairs, not caring if they were facing the direction of the fireworks or not; merely there to take part in a tradition they simply couldn't break.

The boardwalk itself was displaying patriotism and American pride; flags hung from every post, decorated with red garland. White twinkle lights framed the doors of each shop and outlined the picture windows of restaurants, some also boasting more American flags. Scents of food mingled in the air; French fries and pizza, barbecue and ice cream and of course, the scent of steamed crabs covered in Old Bay. The air buzzed with anticipation and excitement, radiating off the tourists and locals in waves.

Emma's stomach rumbled loudly causing Killian to look over at her. Blushing she said, "I might have missed lunch. I'll just run up and quickly grab something. Do you want anything?"

Killian shook his head and stood. "I'll come with you."

"We could lose our spot. Stay here, it's fine." Emma argued.

Killian frowned, then turned to the family sitting a few feet away from them. "Pardon me. We were just going to grab a quick bite, could you ensure no one takes over our space?"

"Of course!" The woman replied with a smile.

A little girl with brown hair and big brown eyes turned toward Killian. "I can sit on your blanket so no one steals it."

Emma watched as he smiled down at the little girl. "I think that would be a great idea."

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Emma said, linking her hand in his again and making her way through the crowds of people on the boardwalk.

"Maybe I didn't want to chance you never being able to get back to me." He said, twisting to get past the large groups of people. "What is it you want to eat?"

"Ice cream. Specifically, a chocolate vanilla twist soft serve from Kohrs." Emma told him.

Killian laughed. "That's hardly a proper meal, Swan."

The line for ice cream was long but the sky was just beginning to darken. She knew they still had nearly an hour before it would be dark enough for the fireworks to start. Finally with her desired soft serve procured, Emma started to head back toward the beach but realized she'd never make it through the crowd with her ice cream intact. People were beginning to line shoulder to shoulder on the sidewalk.

"I guess we'll have to stay here and eat them." Emma said. At the last minute Killian had decided to join her, getting an orange sherbet twist. They walked around the corner from the frozen custard storefront to get out of the way of the other patrons. Emma leaned against a parking post, trying to quickly eat her treat before it melted. Killian stood in front of her, doing the same.

He finished before her, wiping his mouth with a napkin as he waited for her to finish. She took her last bite and licked her lips, never remembering to grab a napkin from the stand. "Ready?" She asked, standing up.

Killian nodded, and then grinned at her, stepping into her personal space. His hand came up to her face, his thumb swiping against the indent in her chin. "You missed a bit."

Her lips parted at the sudden gesture and proximity of him, her eyes locking on his. His thumb hovered between them before a moment before he popped it into his mouth, removing the drip of ice cream. Without thinking she leaned in, intending to kiss him when someone wolf-whistled. Embarrassed, she stepped back from Killian quickly averting her gaze.

He cleared his throat and shook his head slightly, recovering quicker than she did. Holding out his hand to her again he said, "Better get back to our spot."

She took his hand again, allowing him to interlace his fingers with hers and nodded, indicating he should lead them back through the crowd. Once he wasn't looking at her, she gritted her teeth and blinked furiously, trying to clear her head of thoughts of kissing him. Just because it had happened once did not mean that it needed to happen again. Especially in public of all places!

The little girl hopped up off the blanket the second she saw them returning. "I kept it safe for you." She said solemnly.

Killian grinned at her. "You did a great job!"

Emma settled in on the blanket again, stretching her legs out in front of her. Killian leaned back, crossing his arms under his head. Even in the dark Emma could see that it caused the hem of his shirt to ride up, exposing an inch or so of his stomach. She swallowed hard, forcing her brain to think of something else.

The sky finally faded to a deep, inky black and without any prompting the crowd began to quiet down. The first fireworks shot into the sky, exploding into an array of reds, whites and blues. She grinned, watching the colors explode before her.

"What's that smile for?" He asked, sitting back up next to her.

"Confession: I actually really like fireworks." Emma replied, turning toward him, his face illuminated by the colors in the sky. "Those," she pointed to the rounded white one currently creating enlarged ovals of light, "are my favorites. Always have been."

A shadow passed over Killian's face quickly before he covered it up with a smile. "What?" She asked.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just that my brother preferred the same ones." He said softly.

"Oh." Emma didn't know what else to say. Instead she slid her hand across the blanket, closing the distance between them and squeezed his fingers.

He gave her a genuine smile and tilted his head back toward the sky indicating they should watch instead of talk about unpleasant topics. She chose not to remove her hand from his, instead watching the fireworks light up the sky as his thumb rubbed back and forth over her hand.

As always, the show was over too quickly, hundreds of fireworks were shot into the air at once for the grand finale, the beach vibrating from the force of the explosions as tiny pieces of cardboard rained down into the ocean. Around them, people clapped their hands and whooped with joy, expressing their appreciation for the brilliant show.

The two remained seated, an unspoken conversation to wait until the crowds cleared out was had only with their eyes. Emma laid back again, briefly closing her eyes and basking in the warm summer air on her skin. Killian laid back as well, but turned on his side to face her. He picked up a lock of her hair and twisted it between his fingers. She didn't move, didn't open her eyes, just let herself enjoy the faint tugging sensation on her scalp.

"You know, Swan." He said that low voice that made her stomach flip. "I've had a craving recently."

Her eyes remained shut as she replied. "Yeah, what for?"

She could almost feel the smugness radiating off him. "To beat you in skeeball."

Emma laughed. "Really?"

"Yes really. When is your next day off?" Killian asked.

"Wednesday." Emma replied.

"Up for another competition?" He inquired.

"Prepared to lose?" She shot back.

"You still haven't picked your winnings from our tie so I hardly expect for you to win _and_ chose two prizes. It's just easier if I win." He teased her.

"You're on, Jones."

-\\-

" _One_ warm up round, followed by five games. No ties this round, we'll play another round until there's a clear winner." Killian instructed, holding out his hand for Emma to shake.

She offered him a cocky smile. "Deal."

What he didn't know, or what she assumed he didn't know, was that their own tiny little town had a small arcade with just two skeeball lanes and she had spent the last couple of days warming up after her shifts at the restaurant. She was going to win. There wasn't a doubt about it in her mind.

He won the first round by twenty points. Emma refused to let it shake her.

She won the second round, tieing their overall scores. He won the third round, beating her by thirty points. Emma turned her head from side to side, cracking her neck. Her fingers flexed around the smooth wooden ball, mentally seeing it sail into the 100-point marker. It landed just where she hoped.

She won the fourth round but only had a ten point advantage.

There were just three balls left and their overall scores were once again tied. She knew better than to be cocky. Risking all three remaining balls for the 100-point marker was foolish. She'd aim one there and get the other two into the 50-point marker, she knew she could do that with ease. She made the 100-point first, sighing in relief. Just as she planned, she sunk the other two balls into the 50-point marker and turned to look at Killian, a triumphant grin on her face.

The grin fell slightly when she realized he hadn't rolled his last three balls, instead he chose to wait and see what her final score was. The man had the audacity to wink at her when he sunk his first ball, earning one hundred points.

Emma ground her teeth.

A wide grin broke out on his face when the second ball followed suit from the first. Now they were tied, but he still had one ball left. Emma could only hope that he remained cocky and tried to get another hundred points and missed because they he would beat her by only ten points and if she had to lose, that was an okay amount to lose by.

He winked at her again and she found herself scowling back at him. He blew a kiss at the wooden ball before winding his arm back and rolling it up the lane. It sailed directly into the 100-point marker and Emma felt her jaw drop. Not only had she been beat, but she was beaten by a full one hundred points. That hadn't happened to her since she first started playing.

A megawatt smile broke out onto Killian's face, accentuating his dimples. Emma wanted to appreciate it but couldn't stop herself from frowning back at him, disappointed she had lost. He sauntered over to her. "It appears you've been beaten, love."

Emma rolled her eyes at him, knowing she was acting ridiculous and being a bad sport. "Yep, I got that. So what do you want?" She asked in a clipped tone.

He thought for a moment, eyes raised skyward as he tapped his pointer finger against his lip in an exaggerated manner. "I want for you to accompany me out on a boat for dinner one evening, love."

Her brow furrowed. "You don't have a boat."

"No, but I do happen to work for a marina for a man who will easily let me rent one from him." Killian replied, reaching forward and toying with a lock of her hair again.

"Well, it's not like I have a choice." Emma replied.

Killian frowned at her. "Of course you do. If you truly do not wish to go, you can tell me no and I'll think of something else. However, I believe you're just salty from losing and are trying to make this difficult for me." He said with a smirk, pegging her exactly.

Moving closer, he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side. "But I bet a bucket of Thrasher's fries will improve your mood, won't it?" He asked in a singsong voice.

Emma frowned at him, knowing she'd been caught. "Yes." She answered, being purposely obtuse.

"To which?" He inquired.

"Yes I'll go out on a boat with you and yes Thrasher's will make me feel better." She said, finally allowing a small smile to appear on her face.

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 **Thank you so much for all of your reviews! It really means a ton to me. I hope you like this chapter as well.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Sorry for the late post. I somehow managed to forget it was Tuesday! This chapter finally earns an M rating. You're welcome.**

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Chapter 22: Killian

Killian stood below deck, eyes darting around the interior of the boat to make sure everything was perfect. Kris hadn't batted an eye when Killian asked him about taking out one of the boats for personal use after hours. The other man had simply smiled and asked him what type of boat he wanted to use for the outing.

Killian started to shrug, not sure which vessel to take but then Kris shook his head. "Never mind. You'll take _Makin' Memories_."

 _Makin' Memories_ was a thirty-four foot cabin cruiser complete with a kitchen, banquette, couch, bathroom and two sleeping quarters. It was the largest vessel in the fleet and Kris's personal boat. For a time, he and Anna had lived on it. Killian knew better than to argue with his boss, deciding to smile and thank him instead. Jet ski rentals had been slow, almost as if on purpose. He spent the earlier part of the afternoon making sure that the boat was in perfect condition before quickly running home to shower and change before meeting Emma there.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain?" Her voice carried down the steps to him. Killian hurried up the steps and onto the deck where his breath caught in his throat the sight of her.

Her long, wavy blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, elongating the curve of her neck. She wore a mint green sundress, printed with gold and white flowers. It clung to her body like a second skin, flaring out at the waist and ending a few inches above her knees. A delicate white cardigan covered her shoulders, strappy gold sandals on her feet. His eyes trailed back up her body where he found her giving him a curious look, eyebrows arched. Killian felt the tips of his ears burn and hoped she wasn't able to see it. He cleared his throat and smiled. "Permission granted, love."

He held out his hand to help her aboard, which she easily took coming to stand right in front of him because he was too awestruck to move. "You look gorgeous." He said finally tearing his eyes away from her.

A pink stain covered her cheeks and neck. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

Killian looks down at his own attire as if just realizing what he picked from his closet. He wore a blue and gray plaid-printed button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his arms and most of the buttons undone with a crisp, white t-shirt underneath. Gray cargo shorts hung low on his hips, flip flops on his feet.

"Quite the vessel you have here, Captain." She said, bringing him back to the present.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" He said, trailing his fingers over the rail. "Let me show you the cabin."

She followed him down the short flight of steps to the interior of the boat. He had placed a large skillet on the electric cooktop, a bottle of wine sat in a bucket of ice on the counter. The small fold out table was set for two with a flameless candle separating the plates. Small throw pillows were on the built in couch and a radio built into the cabinetry played soft music.

"Wow. It's gorgeous. What's behind the curtain?" Emma asked, pointing at the sheer white curtains hanging at the hull.

"A bed." He answered carefully, not knowing what she would think. All cabin cruisers came with sleeping quarters but he wasn't sure how familiar she was with boats and didn't want her to think he had essentially brought her to a motel room on the water.

She flushed again. "Right. Duh. I'm guessing the couch turns into a bed too right?"

He nodded in response then thought of something else. "We have two options. We can go out into the bay and stay there until the sunsets, or we could just remain docked. The marina is closed. What would you prefer?"

"I wouldn't mind seeing the bay but whatever is easier with you. I doubt I'd be of much assistance if you needed help with anything." She replied quickly.

"Have you ever been on a boat?" He asked, suddenly curious if she knew what it felt like to get her sea legs or if she'd ever experienced sea sickness.

"A speedboat once for a dolphin sighting tour and a pontoon boat a couple of years ago. I don't get seasick, if that's what you're worried about." Emma answered.

Killian shook his head. "I just wanted to make sure you knew what to expect. Let's head out into the bay then, love. The sunset is quite gorgeous on the water."

She sat on a bench at the back of the boat, watching the wake they left behind as they easily cut through the waves. Being in the middle of the tourist season the bay was littered with other boats. Speed boats, sailboats, pontoons and a few larger vessels like _Makin' Memories._ Killian cut left, heading toward a less populated area. Eventually he cut off the engine and dropped the anchor. "Would you like to keep me company while I prepare dinner?" He asked and Emma nodded, following him into the cabin once again.

"Anything I can do to help?" She asked.

"Pour us a glass of wine?" He offered, wrapping a tan apron around his waist. "I hope you don't mind white. Or seafood. I thought I'd surprise you this time."

Emma poured the glasses of wine, setting one on the small counter area next to him. She sat on the sofa across from him, holding her glass in her hand. "White wine is great. I like seafood too. What are we having?"

"Lemon butter scallops over linguine and haricot vert." He said easily, grabbing the bottle of olive oil from the cabinet above and drizzling it into the pan. Reaching into the mini fridge, he took out a pat of pre-sliced butter and placed it in the pan as well, turning on the heat.

"How are you making all of that in this tiny kitchen with one skillet?" Emma asked incredulously.

Killian turned back to smile at her. "Preparation and planning is key. The pasta was boiled and drained before you got here. The green beans were lightly sautéed. Both are currently waiting in the microwave to be added to the pan and warmed through. The scallops are on a plate in the fridge, the garlic already minced and the lemon juice measured out, as well as the parsley for garnish. And I cut a stick of butter into tablespoons so I didn't need to measure. Dessert is in the fridge as well."

"That's…impressive." Emma said finally settling on an adjective.

"Well, let's wait until you taste it before passing any judgment." Killian said, removing the scallops from the fridge and patting them dry with a paper towel. He seasoned both sides lightly with salt and pepper before carefully transferring each scallop to the hot skillet. "Tell me about your day?" He asked, knowing he'd be tempted to check the scallops before they properly caramelized if he wasn't distracted. It wasn't that he didn't know how to cook them, it was that he wanted them to be perfect for her.

"It was a pretty busy day at the shop. Jeff is constantly coming up with kooky ideas to get people to come in and buy cars. His latest is Whiskey Wednesday's. If you buy a car you get a decent bottle of whiskey." Emma explained. "I didn't think it would work at all, but it has. Today we had three trade ins and six new purchases. We recently had to amend the ad though, some dumb ass thought he could drink the whole bottle of whiskey and drive off in his brand new car, like we had somehow changed the drunk driving laws of the state. So now, you buy a car and the next day your bottle of whiskey is delivered. How was yours?"

"What an odd way to drum up business, but it's splendid that it is working out so well. One idiot aside, that is." He said flashing her a smile. "It was rather quiet here which I'm sure Kris and Anna don't appreciate, but it allowed me to get everything ready for tonight."

Grabbing a pair of tongs from the drawer, he flipped over each scallop, a perfectly golden color now on one side. Emma asked where he learned to cook and he told her the tale of Liam signing them up for cooking classes back in Connecticut; how they had both flamed a magnificent shade of red when the instructor asked how long they had been together, mistakenly assuming they were a couple. When the scallops reached the perfect color, he transferred them to a plate, adding more butter and the lemon juice to the skillet. Killian opened the microwave, pulling out the containers holding the pasta and green beans and stirred them both into the skillet. Once everything had been warmed through, he divided the pasta among two plates, topped it with the resting scallops and placed the haricot verts on the side of the plate. Reaching into the fridge, he pulled out the small plate containing the chopped parsley and sprinkled it on top.

Killian placed the steaming plate of pasta and scallops in front of Emma with a flourish. She looked down at the plate in surprise. "Wow. This looks amazing. You'd have no idea you made it in a kitchen the size of matchbox. My kitchen isn't even that big and I still manage to use all of the space any time I cook something."

Killian put the other plate opposite hers and sat down at the table. "I hope you don't mind that we're not having a first course, love. Please, try it. I'd love to know what you think." He said trying not to sound too eager.

She sliced the scallop in half and twirled the pasta around her fork, bringing the fork to her lips. Killian watched and waited, wanting her to try the dish first. Her eyes fluttered closed and she made a humming noise in the back of her throat. "Oh my god. This is incredible, Killian." She took another bite, adding a bit of haricot verts as well.

He beamed at her compliment, finally taking his own bite to make sure she wasn't just being nice. She wasn't; the meal had turned out even better than he had expected. They ate in companionable silence, both wanting to savor each bite. When he took his last bite, Emma stood and took both plates. "The least I can do is the dishes after that meal." She explained, placing the plates in the sink.

Killian stood up, moving behind her and placing his hands on hers, stopping her once she had rinsed the plates. "It can wait. The sun should be setting shortly. Perhaps we could have dessert on deck as we watch?" He was thrilled that she didn't shy away at his touch, instead allowing herself to lean back just a fraction into his embrace.

Emma nodded, her ponytail bumping into his chin from the movement. "Okay, you win. What's for dessert?"

He hated to move away from her but knew he didn't have a choice. He opened the mini fridge and pulled out a small plate of bite-sized desserts. "I must confess these are purchased." He said removing the plastic wrap from the plate.

She leaned over his shoulder. "Is that cheesecake I see?"

Killian grinned. "It is. Also chocolate covered strawberries and sugar-coated grapes. Come on." He gestured for her to head up the steps back onto the deck. He pulled the cushions off one side of the bench seating and spread out a blanket on top.

Emma sat with her legs curled under her facing the back of the boat where the sun had already streaked the sky with hues of pinks and oranges. Killian sat next to her, placing the plate of bite sized desserts in front of them. She took a bite of cheesecake first, sighing as the richness coated her tongue. Killian popped a grape into his mouth, watching Emma more than the setting sun. The light floral scent she wore invaded his senses giving him a heady feeling. She was close enough that he would wrap an arm around her, but he refrained himself not sure how she would react to the gesture. "Thank you for this. I'm not sure I've ever had a date this nice." She said, giving him a shy smile.

Killian couldn't keep the amused look off his face, eyebrow quirking. "So it's a date is it?"

Emma frowned and rolled her eyes at him. "What would you call it?"

He thought for a moment, unsure of how to respond. In all senses of the word, it was a date but he knew how she felt about relationships and remaining friends with him. "Dinner?" He ventured finally and she laughed.

"A delicious dinner that you cooked on a boat, in the middle of the bay at sunset and I'm in a dress. I'm pretty sure we can call it a date." Emma said and he began wondering if she had changed her mind about their status.

Killian hummed in agreement, not sure he could stop himself from saying anything stupid if he opened his mouth. Instead he picked up a chocolate covered strawberry and held it up to her lips. She took a bite, locking her eyes on his as she chewed and he realized that wasn't the smartest move either. It only make him want to kiss her even more. She finished the strawberry and picked up another bite of the cheesecake, holding it out to him. He complied, taking a small bite. Emma broke eye contact to watch as he did so and Killian was swiftly struck with the thought that she _wanted_ him to kiss her.

Throwing caution to the wind, Killian decided to take a chance. At the very worst, she would be angry with him and remind him of their friendship status, but at the very best, he would get to kiss her again and if their first kiss taught him anything, it was that he wanted nothing more than to be able to kiss her again, to see if every kiss would be like the first.

He leaned forward, tugging gently on her ponytail. "If this is a date," he teased trying to keep his voice light, "does that mean I get to kiss-"

"Yes." She blurted out not allow him to finish the sentence.

A less desperate man would have noticed how she blushed and how breathless she sounded. A more curious man would have questioned her intentions and what that meant going forward. However, Killian was neither at the moment.

Since she had stepped foot onto the boat, hell, she since had come into his life he wanted nothing more than to kiss her and now with her permission granted, Killian was not about to waste any time. He didn't need to lean in closer, he found she had done that for him. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he met her gaze one more time to ensure she hadn't changed her mind and found her looking back at him with all the desire he felt. Closing his eyes, he fused his lips to hers.

Her body sagged for a moment as though she were melting by his touch, but then she cupped her hand around the back of his neck, fingers carding through his hair. Her other hand rested on his shoulder. He tilted her head, changing the angle of the kiss. She made a purring noise in the back of her throat, the noise sending a jolt of desire straight to his groin. When he coaxed her mouth open, his tongue sliding against hers, her fingers tightened almost painful in his hair, her other hand sliding from his shoulder to his bicep, fingers flexing around the muscle. He pulled back, nibbling on her bottom lip and inhaling sharply through his nose, trying to return oxygen to his brain. She made a whimpering noise at the end of the kiss and Killian found himself not caring much about oxygen when he could be kissing her instead.

He kissed her again, the fingers of his left hand running up and down her spine. He had just began to think of how he could pull her closer to him when she solved the problem for him; climbing into his lap straddling him. He groaned at the increase in contact, his right hand coming to rest at her waist. She took control of the kiss, tangling her tongue with his, her nails scratching his chest through the fabric of his shirt. She broke the kiss, nipping at his chin before pressing open-mouth kisses down his throat. His head rolled back, giving her access.

"Emma" he growled when her tongue slid along his collarbone, hips rising involuntarily to hers, physically showing her how much he wanted her. She froze and he immediately cursed himself, thinking he had went too far. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to quiet the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears as he fumbled for some type of an apology.

Both of her hands came up, roughly grasping either side of his face as she crashed her lips down upon his. She kissed him hard, sliding forward to press herself fully against him. Despite the layers of clothing between them he could feel her hardened nipples pressing against his chest and the heat radiating from between her thighs.

He nearly lost it when her hips flexed, grinding down on the growing bulge in his shorts, a low moan escaping her lips. The fingers of his left hand traced her bare skin under the her cardigan, traveling from her shoulders to the middle of her back, occasionally brushing against the zipper of the dress. Emma arched her back, pressing her breasts into his chest. He disentangled his lips from hers, slowly, making his way down her throat and to her chest. She leaned back further, bracing her hands on his shoulders as she offered her chest to him.

He nibbled along her collarbone, taking in the soft noises she made. He kissed the swells of her breast, cursing internally when he realized she wasn't wearing a bra under the dress. His fingers itched to pull down the zipper of her dress just enough for her breasts to come free so he could give them the attention they deserved. Instead he ducked his head lower, releasing a puff of hot breath over her clothed nipple. Emma let out another moan, wiggling in his lap. He repeated the motion over her other breast, noting how her fingernails dug into his shoulder. His tongue traced along the top of her dress, dipping under just barely. "So beautiful." He muttered, taking in the flush of her skin.

Emma leaned forward again, pulling his face up with her. She peppered kisses along his cheek, her hips rising and falling with each one. His grip on her waist tightened when her teeth found his earlobe. "Inside?" She asked breathlessly.

Killian blinked stupidly for a few seconds, mind trying to process what she was asking. "Are...are you sure?" He asked finally, lips pressed to her neck.

"Mmhmm. Just go slow. It's been a while." She murmured in his ear. It was slight, nearly imperceptible but Killian noticed the change in her voice at her last sentence.

He tried to look her in the eye but she kept her face buried in his neck. "How long is a while?" He asked softly.

"A few years." She mumbled.

Curiosity replaced desire. "May I ask why?"

She tucked her face further into his neck, the words coming out in a mumbled rush. "You won't want me if I tell you."

Killian's brow furrowed. He pulled back, nudging his nose against hers and pressing a soft kiss to her lips before pulling back further and waiting for her to meet his gaze. When she finally did he fixed her with a determined look. " _Nothing_ could be further from the truth."

He turned her body, shifting to place one arm under her knees and wrapped the other tightly around her back. Killian stood, holding her close to him and made his way down the steps to the interior of the cabin. Pulling aside the curtain, he entered the small bedroom, placing Emma gently on the bed and moving to sit next to her.

She rose up on her knees, arms going back to tug at the zipper of her dress. He held his hand up to stop her. "No." He said quietly, reaching out for her hand. When she took it, he turned to his side pulling her down next to him and tucking her into his chest. His fingers ran up and down her arm in a comforting gesture. "Tell me." It wasn't so much a question as a statement. He felt her shudder against him, taking in a shaky breath.

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 **I know, I know. I suck for ending it here. In other news, I'm not trying to be rude and ignore reviews but for whatever reason, I get the message to them on my phone/email and then when I login to reply, they're not here. So, thank you all so much for your reviews! I really do love reading them, even if I can't currently reply!**


	23. Chapter 23

Trigger warning: miscarriage

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Chapter 23: Emma

His fingers trailed up and down her arm, from her shoulder to just past her elbow in a comforting gesture. "Tell me." He said, not phrasing it as a question.

She shuddered involuntarily at the thought of the terrible memories being turned into words. For three years the tale of her past, why she had packed up her bug and fled Texas for the tiny little seaside town in Delaware had remained a secret, the words unable to fall from her lips. _Maybe it is time_ her mind suggested, wanting to no longer carry the burden of her pain alone. _He has proven to be trustworthy and a good man_ her heart chimed in grudgingly.

Emma focused on her physical surroundings. Tucked against him, against the warmth of his skin and in the comfort of his arms, it seemed possible. Simple, even. To turn the horrible memories from visions into words, to see if saying them aloud would finally begin to let her heal. His fingers came up to her chin, tipping it upward until her green eyes met his kind, blue ones. "Please, Emma." He asked, voice laced with equal measures of concern and sincerity, his thumb brushing along the length of her jaw.

Her fingers came up to touch his but didn't halt the movement. She let her eyes fluttered closed for a second or two just reveling in the intimate gesture. She couldn't remember the last time anyone had treated her so gently; she felt like a China doll perched precariously on the edge of a shelf. Typically it would make her want to push back, to sneer into his kind eyes and spit out a retort about not being that fragile but she found no harsh words waiting at the tip of her tongue. _She was ready_.

"It's not a pretty story." She warned him, scooting closer and draping her arm over his waist, toying with the hem of his shirt.

She was never very affectionate, finding the desire to touch him surprising in her own mind. She knew she was trying to trade one form of hiding for another. If she released the words hidden in her mind, she wanted to be curled up against him, to hide from the pity she assumed she would find in his eyes. Killian turned on his back, tucking her into his side with her head resting on his chest. She inhaled deeply, wanting to memorize his scent and how it felt with his arms wrapped around her, should this be the last time.

He had said otherwise, that he would still want her, but Emma knew words could easily be changed when the truth came to light. He could find her used, damaged and no longer worthy of his affections. Even before the incident, she had been described as such.

His hand moved to her hair, rubbing the silky tresses between his fingers. Emma wondered if the gesture was to comfort him as much as her. "I expected not."

Emma took a deep breath. "I lived in Texas before I moved here. I had planned on just driving through but the bug broke down and I was low on cash so I decided to get a job and an apartment. One year turned into two, and the next thing you know I had lived there for five years. I met him the third year. He became a semi-regular at the bar where I waitressed. He was in sales for an IT company, traveling across the state and the neighboring ones to find new customers. We were friends-well, acquaintances first. It took months before he was finally able to convince me to go out on a date. I always had some excuse but eventually he just wore me down." Emma said frowning.

"Does he have a name, love?" Killian asked.

Emma sneered. "Walsh. Although lying piece of shit scumbag also would apply."

Killian chuckled. "Please continue, love."

Emma took a deep breath. She had made it through the easy part, filling Killian in on where she lived and what she did before she came to Delaware, but now the hard part was coming. Talking about her relationship, the betrayal and the worst part of it all, the incident that left her locked away one day out of the year getting drunk so she didn't feel the pain.

Part of her wanted to stop; she had shared enough. It was the truth and more than she had ever revealed to anyone thus far. When asked, she simply said she worked in a restaurant in Texas and left there because she wanted to live on the coast. The other part of her knew she had to continue, that she could trust Killian with this information and that maybe it was time to begin the healing process. She had flitted between the stages for so long; anger and depression being the strongest with random days of bargaining and denial, but never acceptance. She accepted that it was real and not a dream she could wake up from, but she had never allowed herself to accept that what happened wasn't somehow her fault or that she didn't deserve it.

She had been silent some time, lost in her own head, and appreciated Killian being patient and not pushing her to continue but now she just wanted to get it over with. She had to force herself to speak at her usual pace, wanting nothing more than to spit out the words in a hurried mess. But that would just involve repeating herself and she wasn't interested in that either. "I just want to say this once and get it out. I don't want to answer any questions and I don't want it brought up again unless I'm the one to do it," she declared.

"Aye, love. I promise not to ask questions or speak of this again." Killian replied solemnly.

"So we dated for a while, seeing each other when he was in town. We went away for long weekends sometimes, he always bought me flowers, dinner was at the best restaurants, the whole spiel." She said, squeezing her eyes tightly closed."We were together just over two years when I found out I was…" Her voice broke and she forced herself to swallow. _Do not give up now!_ Her mind threatened.

"Emma?" He said gently. "You don't have to."

She shook her head violently. "It's just...I've never said these words aloud before."

"Love, I…" He started then trailed off, clearly unsure of what to say. His fingers trailed the length of her spine.

Keeping her eyes closed, she let a huff of air out through her nose and gritted her teeth. "I was pregnant." She said in a detached voice. "I was terrified, I thought Walsh was going to be so angry but he was thrilled. Excited even. He started making plans about us getting an apartment together, told me that he was going to talk to his boss and get a permanent position in the city and not travel anymore. He talked about buying me a ring too but I drew the line there. I didn't want to get married just because I was with child."

Killian hummed in agreement, shifting when she pulled away from him and sat up, facing away from him. She took another deep breath, blinking furiously to keep the tears at bay. "I was five months along on June tenth. I woke up with terrible cramps. There was blood everywhere." The tears escaped rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, love. I'm sorry." He said, sitting up as well and gathering her into his lap, tucking her head under his chin, holding her against him.

"I called Walsh but he didn't answer. I drove myself to the hospital, calling him over and over again but it just went to voicemail. The hospital part is kind of a blur, they took me back right away and tried to save...to save him but it was too late." Emma choked back a sob, tears continuing to roll down her cheeks. Even in her own head, when the memories haunted her she never allowed to think of the baby as a boy, despite knowing the sex. It was always "the baby".

Killian rubbed his hand up and down her back. "It's okay to cry, love."

As though his words controlled her emotions, Emma began crying harder, sobbing until it was hard to breathe. She sniffed, trying to suck in large gulps of air through her mouth. His hand continued the comforting gesture of rubbing her back, his other hand reaching backward toward the small, built-in nightstand to grab a box of tissues. He held it out to her and she took one, blowing her nose. She was angry at herself for taking so long to get it out and being so emotional, but she knew she was the only one to blame. Perhaps if she had grieved properly or shared her terrible past with others she could have gotten through it easier with Killian.

When she finally managed to compose herself slightly, she continued. "They had to perform a hysterectomy. I had lost too much blood. But that's not everything." Emma said, anger taking over her voice. "The doctor came in and explained to me what had happened and asked if she could call anyone. I told her to call my boyfriend and gave her the passcode to get into my phone. My wallpaper was a picture of us. I don't know why I was watching her, but I was. Her eyes widened and all the blood drained from her face. Her left hand came up to her mouth and I found myself thinking how the large her diamond ring was. She mumbled something and ran out of the room. A nurse came in not long later telling me they were still unable to get ahold of my boyfriend and Doctor Abigail Greene would no longer be my doctor. Despite the amount of drugs they had me on, it all clicked. My entire relationship had been nothing but a lie."

Killian pulled back, turning her in his arms so they faced each other. "Walsh's last name was Greene, I take it. And your doctor was his wife."

Emma nodded. "I called him a few times, desperately hoping it was a mistake but he never called me back. I left some horrible voicemails screaming at him and calling him every name in the book, but nothing from him. When we were together we had a few big fights and after every single one he sent flowers, called me constantly, showed up at my work...so when there was nothing from him, that's how I knew it had to be true. On my last day of work, I was leaving to drive here the next morning, she showed up. I had my boss make her leave, I wasn't going to be blamed for her husband's lies. She waited outside until my shift ended a few hours later and told me she didn't blame me for any of it, that she was sorry I was dragged into his twisted games and how no one deserves that. She said they were divorcing but started making excuses for his actions. I didn't want to hear it. I walked away from her and drove home. As soon as I got here I changed my number and never looked back. "

Killian pulled her against him again. "He is a pathetic excuse of a man, a waste of precious breath." Killian said, anger evident in his voice. "I hope the bastard rots in hell."

Emma offered him a small smile, nodding in response. "You don't have to hate him for me."

"I despise anyone who has caused you any pain Emma." Killian replied protectively. "As for what you had to endure otherwise, telling you I'm sorry for what happened doesn't even come close to expressing it. Loss and betrayal to that extent would break a lesser person Emma. It's just further testament to how incredibly strong you are."

Emma felt her cheeks flush. It was an odd time to offer her a compliment but she understood why he had said it. In her usual fashion, she shrugged brushing it off.

"I want to thank you for sharing it with me." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I can't imagine how hard it was for you to say the words aloud and I'm honored you chose me."

Emma nodded absently, realizing sharing her story had left her feeling a little bit lighter. Then she remembered her surroundings and felt her entire body flush with embarrassment. They were on a _date_ and she had shared her deepest secret with him. Talk about terrible timing.

She pulled away from him, ducking her head and wiping under her eyes, hoping she got the worst of the mascara streaks. "I'm sorry I can't believe I told you this here, now."

"What do you mean, love?" He asked, voice still full of concern.

"We agreed this was a date and a date is definitely not the place to share that kind of history. And we're in the middle of the damn bay and I'm sure it's dark out by now and you don't own the boat…" Emma rambled.

He turned her face to his. Emma immediately closed her eyes, wishing she had magic and could poof herself anywhere but currently on a boat with Killian. "Love, look at me."

He waited until she opened her eyes, forcing herself to meet his. "I'm fairly certain there is no proper location to share an unpleasant tale from your past. But that matters not, I asked and you were willing to tell me. If you need to place blame somewhere, please place it on me for asking you to share. And as for the darkness, you're likely right. We have probably missed the setting of the sun, but vessels especially one as large as this one come equipped with many lights and I have navigated to the docks under the cloak of night many a time." He said with a smile.

Emma opted to stay in the cabin as Killian brought them back to the marina. She wedged herself in the small bathroom wincing at her appearance. Mascara was streaked down her cheeks (she regretted not wearing waterproof but had no idea the night would turn out as it did) and what was left of her eye shadow was smudged, but not in the smokey eye kind of way. A small wedge of soap rested on the side of the miniature sink and Emma grabbed it, washing away the remnants of her makeup.

Her hair was disheveled, most likely from the wind than their previous make out session but the reminder brought a flush to her face. After kissing Killian the first time, she knew she wanted to do it again, but she had no idea it could be _like that_. He created a desire, a longing and desperation in her that she had never felt before.

She wanted _more_ , wanted _him_ and hated that they stopped. The logical part of her mind reminded her that after not being intimate with anyone for so long it was in her best interest to share that bit of info before going all the way but she hated that her history was so painful and raw that it killed the desire to do anything afterward. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Emma knew if it was anyone other than Killian, someone who just wanted her for sex, she could have offered an abbreviated version of the story; that a miscarriage led to a hysterectomy and lied about how long it had been (or more likely to not deal with the squeamishness of most men she could have chalked it up to 'womanly issues requiring surgery'), simply saying she needed time to recover and there were men who would accept that for what it was and continue with their mission to achieve their own orgasm.

She unwound the hair tie from her tresses, sliding it on her right wrist and running her fingers through her hair to finger-comb out the worst of the tangles while mentally reminding herself that just because Killian had awakened her sexual appetite again didn't mean that they needed to rush into anything. She still couldn't bring herself to accept the idea of a relationship and knew there was now too much between them for a casual sex agreement. With a start, Emma realized that she already wanted to be around him and missed him when they were apart. Brinkley had even grown on her and she realized that giving Killian her body would also give him her heart.

Mentally she might be coming around to the idea, but her heart was still strongly against it, throwing up more caution tape every time she spent time with Killian and reinforcing the walls surrounding it at every turn.

Emma moved to the kitchen and began cleaning up, despite Killian asking her not to earlier. She needed to keep herself occupied until they arrived back at the marina so she wouldn't do something stupid like go above deck and kiss him senseless again while he was navigating the bay in the dark. She was drying the last dish when she felt the motor cut off, indicating they had returned safely.

She took a deep breath and made her way above deck, hovering on the steps as she watched him move around the boat, anchoring them to the pier.

When the cabin cruiser was properly secured, Killian helped her onto the dock and walked her to her car. "I'll understand if you need space for a few days." He said before she could even open her mouth.

She couldn't help but smile at how easily he understood her. "I don't want it but I have double shifts for the next couple of days."

"But you'll respond to texts this time?" He teased her with a grin.

Her fingers itched to trace the indent of the dimple that appeared. "Yes, I'll respond."

His smile widened. "Thank you for coming out onto the bay with me tonight."

"Thank you for an incredible dinner." She said in return. "I'm sorry we missed the sunset."

"Killian shrugged. "I hear it does happen regularly. Perhaps we could see another one."

Emma rolled her eyes at him. "I'd like that. I'll let you know when my next night off is."

He lifted her hand, swaying closer to her and brought her hand to his lips, placing a kiss there. She arched an eyebrow at him. Less than two hours ago she was straddling him, back arched as his tongue traced the tops of her breasts and now he was kissing her hand like they had reverted to a Jane Austen novel?

With a devilish glint in his eye he said "A gentleman never presumes his affections are wanted by a lady."

Emma rolled her eyes at him again. "Kiss me goodnight Jones."

"As the lady demands." He said tugging her to him with the hand he still held, dropping it only to place both of his hands on her hips.

She went up on tiptoe placing one hand on his chest for balance. Ducking his head slightly he captured her lips with his. She thought about parting her lips but eventually decided against it, knowing how easily things escalated between them. He broke off the kiss far too quickly for her liking. "Goodnight, love." He whispered, breath warm on her lips.

She lingered a few more seconds, keeping her forehead pressed to his before lowering down to her heels and bringing her hand back down to her side. "Night, Killian."

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Even I want to hate this chapter because it's so painful, but from a writer's perspective it gave me a challenge to put a range of emotions into these characters that could only be expressed in words and from a reader's standpoint, I hope I've done a good job of conveying how hard this was for Emma but also how much she trusts Killian to be able to share this with him.


	24. Chapter 24

**It's another sad chapter and for that I apologize. There is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise.**

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Chapter 24: Killian

When thinking back to the previous night, Killian found himself unable to come up with adequate words.

Initially he was worried. Worried that Emma wouldn't show, some excuse about a last minute shift at the restaurant sent via text or the like. Worried that he would mess up preparing dinner or that she wouldn't like it. Worried that it would come off to her as too much like a date and she would retreat from him.

The first of his worries disappeared when she showed up, looking beautiful and enticing in a sundress with her hair swept up into a ponytail. The second worry began to evaporate when her eyes lit up at the prospect of him cooking for her and dissipated entirely when he watched her take the first bite, declaring the meal incredible.

At that point the night had already gone better than he had dared to hope for. His final worry faded away when she called it a date herself. He had no idea what possessed him to be so bold as to ask her about a kiss. Perhaps it was the way she grinned at him when she first arrived or maybe when she leaned back just slightly into his embrace after dinner.

He intended to just kiss her goodnight but her immediate positive response had him rethinking his initial plan. A kiss or two, something akin to the other night on her porch, he figured grossly underestimating how easy it was to get swept up in the chemistry between them. It didn't hurt that they were so in sync, Emma climbing into his lap mere seconds after he had the thought of wanting her closer.

Pride coursed through his veins at how responsive she was to his touch, the little moans and gasps she let out further fueling his desire for her. In that moment his own pleasure took a backseat, wanting nothing more then to make her feel good. He was impressed with himself that he managed to catch the slight change in her voice and immediately know that something more laid behind those words. A lesser man, a man more fueled by desire would have missed it, taking them simply at face value and continued about his task of bedding the willing woman.

From the little bits of her past she had previously told him, he alluded it was a messy break up, likely with cheating involved but he was flabbergasted when she told him the whole story. The pregnancy was a surprise but he immediately knew the end result before she was even able to get out the words. He forced his face to remain neutral throughout her tale even though she wasn't looking at him. He didn't want to take the chance that she might steal a glimpse and mistakenly assume the sorrow he felt for her past was instead something like pity. Killian might not have known Emma very long but it was quite obvious she wouldn't take well to something like pity.

He did feel it though, although not in the way she would have imagined. He pitied the doctor for making excuses about her adultery committing husband. He felt pity that the man was clearly so stupid he couldn't see what a treasure Emma Swan was. He was also livid. That she had been betrayed but even worse that she only learned of the betrayal after suffering through one of the most horrifying types of loss.

It explained so much about Emma, why she had erected sky high walls topped with barbed-wire fence around her heart. Why she immediately assumed the worst from everyone and her trust in others was filed out in short supply. It explained why her smiles never quite reached her eyes, why she felt the safest alone and why sarcasm and biting retorts rolled so easily from her tongue.

His facade nearly slipped when she admitted that he was the first to hear these words finally being spoken. As he told her later, it was an honor that she had trusted him with the truth of her past. She could have easily lied or altered the story to be something easier to share, but she didn't. As she shared the truth the barbed-wire fence guarding her heart fell from its perch, the topmost bricks of the wall crumbling down with it and that meant more to him than he could express. In that moment he had decided that if she would let him, it was his responsibility to protect and guard her heart. To take down the walls one by one so he might hopefully enter, but all the while patrolling the perimeter constantly, always ready to fight off anyone or anything of ill-intent that tried to enter.

Holding her against him as she sobbed, fat tears rolling down her face caused a lump to form in his throat and his chest to squeeze painfully tight. The way she clung to him was both desperate for comfort and hesitant that she might receive it, leading him to believe that there weren't many times in her childhood where Emma was wrapped in the warmth of someone's arms.

He might not have had much as a child, but he always had Liam. The older brother who comforted Killian in the middle of the night after a nightmare, who brought him soup when he was sick, pushing the sweaty hair off his forehead to see if his fever has finally broken once their mother was gone. The brother who looked out for him, stood up for him and took the blame most of the time. The brother who always had an ear willing to listen, a shoulder available for a cry and an arm to wrap around him or hand to clasp on his shoulder in times of comfort.

He wanted to give her that, should she let him. Killian wanted to be there for her if she needed him, wanted to be the one to brighten her day and be the one she turned to when she needed advice, support or comfort. He was already wearing his heart on his sleeve when it came to her, she just didn't know it yet. Killian knew if he wasn't careful he'd end up handing it over to her entirely, asking for nothing in return.

In a way it surprised him, how easily his feelings had grown for her but after last night, after she confessed her deepest secret to him, there was no turning back. He was in it, wholly, for as long as Emma Swan would have him.

The loss of her unborn child reminded him of Liam's death in a way; unexpected; with no warning and much too early. Liam should have lived to an old age becoming a crotchety old man in polyester pants and wool cardigans, shaking his hand-carved cane at the young whippersnappers disturbing his peace. Emma's child should have gestated to full term, born into the world to live a full life with a wonderful mother.

It bothered him immensely that she thought she had ruined their evening by telling him of her past. He told her it wasn't true and fully intended to show her they could still have a good remainder of the evening together when she pointed out that it had already grown dark. Knowing they were safer at the marina than in the middle of the bay in the dark, he set about taking them back not even suggesting they stay longer or that Emma should join him on deck, knowing that she would likely want time and space to compose herself after her confessions.

Walking her to her car, he realized he was unsure how to act around her. The rules of their friendship she had set were now bent and broken. On one hand he wanted to gather her into his arms and kiss her senseless, making sure to erase any doubt she might have about him not wanting her after she told him about her past. But on the other hand, with boundaries undefined and such serious topics so recently discussed, kissing her or even touching her could come off as insensitive and like he didn't grasp the severity of her sharing her deepest secrets. Leaving it up to Emma to initiate was also risky. Sure, she had been the one to kiss him first but she was also known for running away and avoidance.

However, it was the best option he had so he opted to go for it, kissing her on the hand like he had done so many other times. Pure elation washed over him when she cocked an eyebrow and told him to kiss her goodnight. He enjoyed the bossier, more demanding side of her and hoped he would see it more often. Still, he opted to keep the kiss short and sweet, not wanting to overwhelm her with anything she might not be ready for after stirring up such deep emotions.

The way she clung to him after the kiss, not wanting it to end confirmed to him that he could have fully kissed her and thought about it for a brief second. But the chemistry between them was too strong and he knew how effortlessly things between them could escalate. Call him selfish, but he didn't want Emma's memories of their first time together to be tainted with the reminder of sharing her past for the first time. Each "first" deserved its own memory and he was determined to make sure that happened.

-/-

So caught up in replaying his night with Emma and his work at the marina, the dates had escaped him. Perhaps there was also a bit of avoidance on his part, the calendar remained firmly on the previous month and he only spoke of his work with Kris and David in terms of days of the week, not actual dates. So when he woke up in a cold sweat just after midnight a few days later it took a while for his conscious to remind him of why he has been awoken.

It was the anniversary of Liam's death.

He didn't know how he did it, maybe it was the begging and pleading but his insomnia-laced brain took pity on him and allowed him to sleep through the night. It wasn't a pleasant sleep, although he knew better than to expect as much. Like a twisted version of Groundhog's Day, the most painful memories of Killian's life play over and over again on a continuous loop in a sea of restless dreams. It started with the death of his mother, being bounced around from family member to family member but never really being accepted. They were just the Jones brothers that no one wanted. Time in his dreams accelerated, reminding him of disagreements with Liam and words he said but didn't mean. It haunted him, reminding him that a terrible person was lurking just underneath, ready to be exposed when the time was right. As though his brain sensed that daylight was near, the dreams stop focusing on him and instead switched to Liam on the last day of his life. Killian tried his hardest to talk Liam out of going for a run, tried going with him and tried to push his brother out of the way, but each and every time Liam was still killed and Killian was still left all alone.

His eyes fluttered open to see the first rays of sunlight coming up over the horizon and a feeling of gratitude seeped in. He was no longer stuck in the twisted, cruel memories that haunt his dreams but it did nothing to improve his mood.

He passed the time idly, cleaning up and fiddling with his guitar until the voices in his head got too loud and he could no longer ignore them. They're shouting at him to remember, that one year ago today was the last day his brother graced the earth right his presence, like Killian could ever forget.

He tried to think positively, to remember the good times that they shared together; days at the sea when he was still a wee lad, listening to Liam read him stories, tales of princes and princesses, Pirates and their scoundrel-like ways. Happy endings and new beginnings that can only be offered in a book. He tried to remember blowing out a candle on the cupcake Liam had bought for all of his birthdays, the feeling of new beginnings and a chance to start over as something other than the parent-less Jones boys when Liam had secured their plane tickets to come to America.

Killian wanted to think about the fact that no matter how hard he tried, Liam could not play any musical instruments, apparently all of those genes being saved for Killian at birth. But Liam could sing, his rich baritone voice always standing out over the others. He wanted to remember the day Liam shared the idea with him to open a bookstore, to make the stories they read as children part of their daily lives and the day the ink dried on the paper, both of their signatures scrawled on it, indicating they were now bookstore owners. The look of elation on Liam's face for their first sale, the wrinkled and worn ten dollar bill framed above the cash register.

He wanted to remember their boating adventures, the day they first stood on the docks and looked out into the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean from this coast. The cooking classes Liam signed them up for and the misguided instructor who ignored the physical similarities between them and thought they were a couple.

But his mind was having none of it, pushing away all of the good memories in favor of pain and Killian could no longer fight against it. A quick glance at the clock revealed it was nearly noon and he quickly prided himself on holding on that long. The dark memories from his dreams fought to come in and Killian just couldn't handle it. He needed to shut up all of the memories and just forget.

It was his day off and with nothing to distract himself; Killian turned to his only way to shut up his restless brain. The rum went down smoothly but it wasn't enough to get him drunk or make him forget. He needed more.

He intended to drive out of town, to find a hole in the wall bar where he could hide in the corner and drink away his pain in solitude, but it appeared his hands and feet were operating independently of his brain, taking him to Coconut's. Killian swiped his credit card at the parking meter, securing himself a large chunk of time and made his way into the bar. He supposed it was his self conscious's way of wanting to be close to Emma without actually burdening her with his problems.

He slid onto a stool in the back corner of the bar, purposely avoiding his usual seat. He didn't recognize the bartender, which he appreciated. Ruby was a great girl but she would immediately want to know why he was here to get drunk and he didn't think he had it in him to utter the words aloud. He started with dark beer, a nod to the only kind of beer Liam would drink. When the beer didn't get him as drunk as he wanted, he added in shots of top shelf rum.

The afternoon became hazy, he vaguely remembered seeing Ruby come in for her shift but he had no idea how much time passed before she came over to him. The other bartenders and continued to serve him and Killian was bordering on the precise of finally being able to forget. Vaguely he noticed the bar getting more crowded and surmised it must be the start of the dinner rush.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here, hiding in the corner." Ruby said cheerfully, coming over to him.

He raised his head to look at her and from the frown that immediately appeared on her face, he figured he looked terrible. He shrugged in response to her comment, bringing the beer bottle to his lips and chugging the remaining contents.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked in a concerned voice.

Killian shook his head, already wincing at the movement. "Another shot of rum."

She obliged, serving him the two more he requested and another beer before gently telling him she needed to cut him off. That was his last coherent memory until he found himself alone in his condo.

The location of the sun in the sky led him to believe sunset was nearing. He had no idea how he had gotten home. Patting his pockets, his brief search for his keys came up empty. "Brinkley" he called, expecting to immediately hear the jingle of the dog's collar but he was met with silence.

Frowning and unable to comprehend much more than that, his head rolled back to the pillows on the couch. Not long later the sound of his front door opening and paws clicking across the tile followed by footsteps piqued his curiosity.

Blonde hair fell in waves over her shoulders, hiding the straps of the red tank top she wore. Khaki shorts elongated her already long legs. "Emma?" He asked not sure if she was really there or a figment of his imagination.

"Yes?" She asked coming over to him.

"You're really here." He said stupidly, blinking at her.

"I am. Do you think you could eat something? Drink some water maybe?" She asked, voice full of concern.

"You're beautiful. So gorgeous and stunning and you don't even know it. Any man you were with before was a fucking moron, Swan. I thought you should know that. You deserve to be treated like a princess and nothing less. They weren't worthy of you. I'm not either but I'll be damned if I don't try." He replied instead.

She didn't respond but slipped into the kitchen and brought him a bottle of water. He remembered her saying something about aspirin before he nodded off, the alcohol winning the fight to no longer keep him conscious.

When he awoke again, he first noticed the blanket wrapped around him, second the dark night sky and third, Emma curled up on the chair across from him. Brinkley laid at her feet. He sat up, mentally cursing his spinning head and opened the bottle of water, taking a large gulp. He quickly added the painkillers she found to his mouth, knocking those back with another swig of water.

He watched as her eyes fluttered open, panic passing through them until she remembered where she was. Her eyes landed on him and he spoke, voice rusty with disuse. "You stayed." It wasn't what he intended to say but the words fell from his lips nonetheless.

She nodded, hands wiping at her eyes. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you?"

His lips parted, the lie that he was fine rested on his tongue but something in her gaze stopped him. "No, I'm not." He answered honestly.

"Is there anything I can do?" She asked hesitantly and even in his still inebriated state he realized how monumental it was for her to ask.

He stretched, aware of how uncomfortable his couch was and figured she wasn't doing much better on the chair. "Join me in my much more comfortable bed."

Her eyebrows shot up at his requested and he hastily held a hand up to her. "Not like that. I just…" He found himself at a loss for words.

She studied his face for a moment before slowly pulling herself to a standing position and offering him her hand to do the same. When his fingers entwined with her she whispered, "lead the way."


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: I hope all of my mid-atlantic readers have dug out from under the feet of snow! I'm attempting to go into work today. We got just under 3 feet here. Wish me luck! This chapter is a bit sad but has a good ending. Enjoy!

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Chapter 25: Emma

Emma kept her promise, intending to call Killian when her shift ended at the auto shop but Ruby called her first.

"Emma...do you think you could come by the restaurant?" Ruby asked in a tone that made Emma instantly wary.

"Yeah, why?" She asked, trepidation in her voice.

"Killian is here and he's...really drunk. He got here when we opened and has been drinking since. I cut him off a little bit ago, but he asked for you…" Ruby explained.

Emma was surprised. In the short time she knew Killian she knew that he drank on occasion but she never pegged him for a drunk, especially a day drunk, "I'll be right there."

She didn't bother trying to find a parking spot in the summertime rush at the restaurant, instead just pulling up haphazardly in the fire lane, hoping she could easily grab Killian and take him home, and if not, that Will was the officer on duty and hopefully he wouldn't give her a ticket.

Entering the restaurant she headed immediately for the bar and met Ruby's eyes. With a nod of her head Ruby gestured toward the far end of the bar. Emma could see a figure slumped over. This was worse than she anticipated.

"Killian?" She asked softly, placing her arm on his shoulder.

She watched as he turned to face her, eyes bloodshot as he winced from the movement. He blinked a few times as though he couldn't believe she was there. "Emma?" He slurred.

"Yeah, how about we get out of here?" She asked and Killian nodded shuffling to his feet. His dug into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet and throwing a handful cash into the bar. Ruby shook her head at Emma indicating he had already paid the tab. Emma waited until he turned around before grabbing the cash and shoving it into her pocket. Once she took him home she'd find a way to slip the money back into his wallet.

Dumping him into her car was a little harder than she imagined but at least he was a cooperative drunk, even if he didn't have the coordination to fasten his seatbelt on his own. When she leaned over his chest to grab the belt, his hand came up to her face. "You're beautiful, you know that?" He slurred.

Emma blushed and quickly fastened his seatbelt. His head slumped against the window and she opted to drive him home in silence instead of trying to figure out how they were in that position in the first place. He stirred when she put the car into park in front of his condo. "You brought me home?"

"I did. Can you give me your keys?" Emma asked, turning off the car and opening the driver's side door.

Killian fumbled in his pockets for a few minutes before finally retrieving a set of keys and proudly handing them over to Emma. She helped him out of the car and into his condo, directing him toward the couch. He dropped his wallet on the table and kicked off his shoes, flopping down on the couch.

Brinkley barked hello to her and sat patiently at the front door. It took Emma a few minutes to realize he needed to go out. She looked over at Killian for assistance but his eyes were closed, his head tipped backward onto the pillows, soft snores coming from his mouth.

"Okay." She said walking over to Brinkley and patting his head. "It's just you and me and I've only done this once or twice when I was a kid so go easy on me? Do you have a leash?"

As though the dog understood English, he trotted over to the closet in the entryway and pawed at the door. Emma looked inside and found a leash hanging from a peg. Brinkley sat perfectly still as she clipped it to his collar. Grabbing Killian's keys off the coffee table where he had dropped them, she took the leash in her other hand and opened the front door hoping walking Brinkley would be quick and painless. Unsure of where to walk him, she allowed Brinkley to lead her around the back of the building facing the bay. He sniffed around for a while and then as though he remembered Emma's inexperience, he headed over to an old tree stump and quickly did his business, coming back to her and following her back into the condo.

"Emma?" Killian asked, blinking at her as though he couldn't tell if she was really there or not.

"Yes?" She replied, walking towards him.

"You're really here." He said stupidly, blinking at her.

"I am. Do you think you could eat something? Drink some water maybe?" She asked, hoping he would just agree with her and continue being a cooperative drunk.

"You're beautiful. So gorgeous and stunning and you don't even know it. Any man you were with before was a fucking moron, Swan. I thought you should know that. You deserve to be treated like a princess and nothing less. They weren't worthy of you. I'm not either but I'll be damned if I don't try." He replied instead.

Emma felt her face flush, knowing knowing that sober thoughts often fell from drunken lips. She decided not to answer him, muttering about water and painkillers.

His eyes fluttered open at her as she placed the bottle of water on the table. She knew he would need something for the impressive hangover he was going to be sporting tomorrow. She went back into the kitchen, carefully opening the cabinets, looking for any medication he had.

Just as she was about to call out to him and ask, soft snores carried over to her from the couch. Brinkley had joined her in the kitchen, lapping noisily at his water bowl. "Now what am I going to do with him? It's not like you have any idea where the painkillers are." Emma found herself talking to the dog.

With a sigh, she headed back toward the bedrooms feeling slightly awkward that the first time she was seeing Killian's bedroom was when he was currently passed out on the couch. She didn't want to snoop but noticed how neat the room was. The bed was perfectly made and folded clothes sat on the end of it. The door to the master bath was open so Emma headed inside, noting the towels hung up evenly, nothing on the counter but his toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. Pulling open the medicine cabinet, her eyes landed on a bottle of aspirin which she quickly grabbed.

Returning to the living room she dropped the pills on the table next to the water bottle and stood there watching him not sure what to do next. Reaching in her pocket she pulled out the crumpled bills and smoothed them, sliding them quickly back into his wallet.

The old Emma would leave. Water and aspirin was more than kind enough but something kept her there. He muttered something in his sleep that sounded suspiciously like "Liam" and Emma felt her heart lurch. She pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over him.

She sat down on the chair, kicking off her shoes and tucking her feet under her. On his end table she found a book and opened the well-worn spine, telling herself she was just staying to make sure he didn't have alcohol poisoning.

Eventually she must have drifted off, awaking a few hours later at the soft sounds of movement. Her eyes fluttered open, heart stuttering in her chest for a moment until she remembered where she was. Killian was looking back at her. "You stayed."

She nodded, feeling embarrassed at his words. Her hands wiping at her eyes. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you?"

Emma watched as he hesitated to answer. "No, I'm not." He said finally.

She was the one to hesitate this time, her fingers coming up to play with the pendant of her necklace. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Join me in my much more comfortable bed." He replied stretching his arms above his head and rolling his neck, trying to get the kinks out.

Her eyebrows raised at his bold request. "Not like that. I just…" He trailed off.

She looked at him, taking in the downturn of his lips, the way his shoulders slumped and remembered the name she thought she heard him mumble in his sleep. He had been there for her, now it was her turn to return the favor.

Emma stood up, reaching her hand out to his and helping him up. His fingers slid between hers and squeezed slightly and she knew she had made the right decision. "Lead the way."

She followed him down the hall and into his bedroom, standing to the side as he drew the curtains, allowing the moonlight to filter in, combined with the nightlight in the bathroom provided just enough light to see each other. Emma tried to ignore how awkward she felt, it has been years since she shared a bed with a man. When he turned down the comforter and slid under it, she did the same keeping a respectable distance between them.

Killian's arm raised. "May I hold you?" He asked.

Emma blinked stupidly at him for a moment, amused at his grammatical correctness while inebriated. She moved closer, tucking herself into his side and resting her head on his chest. She thought she was the one supposed to be helping him although their positions suggested otherwise. His fingers toyed with the ends of her hair and she realized maybe this was helping him, just her being there.

"Have I told you what today is yet? Forgive me, the events of the day are a touch spotty." He asked.

Emma shook her head. "We really haven't talked. Ruby called me at the bar, saying you had asked for me. I brought you here and you fell asleep almost right away."

"Thank you. For coming to the bar, for bringing me home. For staying." He said sincerely.

"It's no big deal…" She started but he cut her off.

"It is. Today especially. It's been a year since Liam died. I didn't really wish for you to see me like this, but my inebriated self has other ideas apparently." He said.

"Given how you saw me a few days ago, I think we can call it even. It's only been a year for you and you're much more together about it than I am three years later." Emma replied, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"I'm not sure drowning my sorrows in beer and rum in a bar for an entire afternoon means I'm together about it." He mused.

She winced. Of course he wasn't. He just chose to run from his memories in a public place and then ask for her. "You're right. I'm so sorry, I just meant-"

His fingers twirled in her hair. "I know what you meant love. We all deal with our demons differently. That's why I told you I wouldn't judge you for hiding from the world back in June. I spent months after Liam's death locked in the house only leaving to buy more rum."

"Tell me about him? Or don't if it won't help. I'm sorry, I have no idea what I'm doing." Emma babbled, feeling stupid that she had no idea how to comfort someone.

"You're doing fine. You're here, which means the most. If you would like to hear about him, I'm sure there's a story or two I could share." Killian said.

She lifted her head up and tilted it back to look at him, nearly brushing her lips against his scruff as she did so. "I'd like to hear it."

"It was Liam's idea to open the bookstore. I was fine with playing guitar at night, but he wanted a better future for us. He decided on a bookstore because books had been an important part of our childhood. My mum read to us each night and encouraged us to read throughout the day as well. After she passed, Liam continued the tradition and read aloud at night. When we were living with less than pleasant distant relatives, the books were our escape. There we got to be knights and heroes, princes and pirates, friends and foes. Even though Liam was too old he would still indulge me and pretend to be a character in a book. He wanted the bookstore as tie to our mother, as a reminder of the happier parts of our childhood. The children's book section in the store was the biggest part and Liam used to dress up like a book character and read the stories to the kids there."

"Was it hard to sell with those reminders?" Emma asked, trying desperately not to feel jealous of his story. She read more now as an adult than she ever did as a kid and was jealous she had never thought to turn to a book as an escape.

"Surprisingly, not. Perhaps it's because we hadn't owned it long enough to really make our own memories there. It wasn't easy, of course, but my memories of my mother were tied more to actual books and those of Liam to the ocean." Killian said and then paused as though he was lost in his own memories.

"I broke his wrist when we were fishing one day. He teased me about it for ages." Killian mused with a short laugh.

"What? How?" Emma asked.

"Back in Ireland we rented a small fishing boat and had been out on the water for hours without any luck. I was young, maybe ten years old and boredom got the best of me. I was swinging the rod back and forth in the water when something finally decided to go after my lure. I panicked and Liam rushed over to take the rod. Whatever it was was really strong and knocked him backward as he was truth to reel it in. He didn't let go of the rod until the last minute and fell back, landing awkwardly on his wrist. I was horrified but Liam said it didn't hurt all that much. Our aunt was livid about having to take him to the hospital. He wore a cast for a while, proudly but always teased me that I was the one to cause his first and only broken bone."

He told her a few more stories about Liam before falling silent for so long Emma wondered if he had fallen asleep. He inhaled a shaky breath and she lifted her head to look at him, finding his bright blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Emma felt her heart clench painfully.

"He was such a good man. He didn't deserve to die." Killian said, voice wavering and Emma felt the tears begin to form in her own eyes.

Emma sat up, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her forehead to his. "I know." She said softly.

His arms came around her squeezing tightly. "I just...miss him." It came out broken and raw and Emma felt the tears sliding down her face.

Killian turned, pressing his face into her shoulder, voice muffled. "I still go to call him sometimes. When I see a movie he'd like or on our mother's birthday. And then I remember and it's like it's happening all over again. He wasn't...he wasn't supposed to leave me alone. He's all I had." His voice broke, catching on a sob.

Emma's arms tightened around him, running her fingers up and down his back the same way he had done to her as she fumbled for the right words to say. "You're not alone." She found herself saying. "I'm here. I'm not leaving." Somewhere amidst the tears falling from her face and the shaky breaths he took against her shoulder, the truth had settled in.

He might be better adept at hiding it most times but he was just as broken as she was and there was something comforting about that. About not being alone. About having someone to share the good days with and someone to be there for the bad days.

Her mind flitted back to their their first meeting. The spark she felt when their fingers connected, the surprise she felt when he was so open with her. How he had slowly made his way into her life, by taking her home from work that one day to learning how to make hot chocolate the way she liked and waiting for her after her shift at the restaurant to surprise her with it. His words stuck with her that night, pointing out the obvious that she had learned to ignore. By not allowing anyone to get close to her, they couldn't hurt her, but they couldn't help her either.

She intended for him to just be someone else she knew in the small town, someone who would likely move on at the end of the season but he became more when he came to her first on his night at the restaurant, choosing not to surprise her. While he might not have understood how impressive it was, the look on Ruby's face when she offered to share her onion rings with Killian was priceless and maybe, just maybe he understood how much it meant to her when in a bold and unexpected move, she pressed her lips to his cheek in thanks.

He secured his spot as a friend in her eyes when he found her on the beach that night and further cemented it when he challenged her to beat him in skeeball. Sure it was juvenile, but Emma liked the competitive side of him. That night was the first night she allowed her brain to even entertain the idea of something more than friendship, finding herself liking the feeling of being in his arms as he waltzed her around his small kitchen. The way he made sure she was okay with Brinkley after learning about her fear of dogs, how much fun they had on their trip to Assateague and his slip about kissing her. How easily he forgave her for running away when her emotions became too much and learning to nearly anticipate it.

But the truth was, she wanted to be there for him. She wanted to do what he did for her, not because she felt as though she owed him a favor or needed to repay him in the same way. He needed her there and she was all too happy to be there. Being needed or even wanted, wasn't something that felt familiar to her, but she found herself liking, even craving the feeling all the same. She had told Killian her deepest secret, let him into her life and she didn't regret it. She wanted to tell him more, wanted him to know about her childhood and wanted to hear all the stories about his. She wanted him to be there when she was having a bad day to fold her in his arms and make her forget.

Emma wanted to be with Killian.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Killian

Killian awoke in a tangle of blonde hair and a sea of confusion. His head throbbed, his throat ached, his stomach rolled and his bladder insisted he get up _right this minute._

He extricated himself from the bed, sliding out from under a tangle of her limbs, fairly certain Emma would not be pleased to wake up and find out she had used him as both a pillow and blanket for the night. She mumbled his name sleepily, arms reaching out blindly for him and he nearly said to hell with his bladder and climbed back into bed with her, but baser desires won out.

With an inaudible groan he turned away from her and made his way to the bathroom and took care of the most pressing need first. Then he brushed his teeth, glad to get rid of the chalky feeling in his mouth. Killian splashed cold water on his face and slapped his cheeks trying to bring some life back into his hungover form. Almost as an afterthought he grabbed a spare toothbrush from under the sink and left it on the counter should she wake up and find it.

He padded quietly to the kitchen, started the coffee pot and ushered Brinkley outside to do his morning business. "I appreciate the privacy last night." He told his dog who usually ended up on the bed with him each night.

Slipping quietly back inside he opened the fridge finding it woefully bare of the necessary greasy ingredients that would bring him back to a normal state. The coffee pot hissed, indicating it was done.

He filled a mug to the top with dark liquid and brought it to his nose inhaling deeply. Just the rich scent of the beans made him feel a little better.

"Hi." She said, almost shyly.

Killian sat the mug on the counter and turned to face Emma, unsure of how the interaction would go. She stood in the doorway to the kitchen, hair pulled up into a messy bun, the strap of her tank top slipping off her shoulder. She looked so sleepy and adorable he had to physically restrain himself from gathering her into his arms. First, an apology would be in order.

His fingers scratched awkwardly behind his ear and he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Emma, I'm sorry-"

He was cut off when she strode across the kitchen, pressing her finger to his lips. "Don't."

He fought to ignore how her finger felt pressed against his lips. "But I-"

Her finger pressed harder against his lips. "Do I need to find another way to shut you up, Jones?" She said with a glint in her eye.

Shocked, his lips closed and when she was sure he wasn't going to try to apologize again, she took her finger away. He felt the loss immediately.

"You need your truck and grease, so I think you should go shower and I'm going to run home to do the same. I'll be back in an hour and then we'll get you a nice greasy breakfast okay?" Emma said taking a step back.

"You could shower here. I have a guest bathroom." The words were out before he could stop them. Of course she wanted to go home and shower, get a change of clothes and whatever beauty products she needed.

"Okay." She said simply. "Thanks for the toothbrush by the way."

Killian led her to the linen closet forever grateful that Beverly had left a dozen or so trial sized samples of shampoo, conditioner and body wash, all in feminine or neutral fragrances. He held the basket of samples out to her.

She took them from him, giving him a curious look. "You're prepared."

"Beverly." He explained, handing her a towel. "What about clothes?"

Emma paused for a second. "Can I borrow a t-shirt?"

"Of course. Come on." He led her back into his bedroom, pulling open the closet doors and gesturing for her to take her pick.

She grabbed one blindly, selecting his red Foo Fighters shirt. "Thanks, I'll be quick." She said, turning and leaving him standing there.

His fingers came up to scratch the scruff on his face, blinking stupidly as he tried to piece together what has just happened in his hungover state. Not wanting to keep her waiting, he quickly grabbed something to wear from his closet and headed into the master bath. He had no idea what the water pressure would be like or how the hot water heater would handle two showers so he opted to take a cold and quick one, wanting to ensure Emma was comfortable.

He only managed to refold the blanket she had draped over him last night and straighten the pillows on the couch when the guest bathroom door swung open and Emma emerged. Her hair was still wet, wrapped up in another messy bun with a few tendrils of curls escaping it. Her face was bare and she had tucked the hem of his shirt into her shorts on one side to combat the length. The desire to kiss her was going to slowly drive him crazy.

"You ready?" She asked, picking up her keys and phone from his coffee table.

"Yes. Where are we going?" He asked, following her out the door and offering a warning to Brinkley to be good.

"It's a secret." She teased him, unlocking the passenger side door for him to get in.

Killian was even more confused when she headed in the opposite direction of his truck. Eventually she pulled over in front of a small restaurant. "Ocean Side." She said. "The pancakes will make you feel human again, I promise."

Killian just nodded and followed her into the restaurant, fighting to keep the confusion off his face when she reached for his hand. Once they were seated she kept their entwined hands on the table.

His free hand came up to rub at his scruff. Did something happen last night he didn't remember? Although he didn't mind, where was this affectionate side of Emma coming from?

"Penny for your thoughts." She asked but the waitress saved him, coming by at that moment to take their order. He opened his mouth to speak, but Emma was already on it.

"Coffee. Large. Black with one sugar for him. Orange juice for me. Two pancake stacks with bacon,one blueberry. One...chocolate chip?" She said, raising an eyebrow at him to confirm if that would work for him.

"What the lady said." Killian replied to the waitress who finished jotting down their order and said it would be out shortly. His eyes turned back to Emma. "You know how I take my coffee?"

Her cheeks flushed. "You know how I take my hot chocolate." She countered, avoiding the question.

"Touché." Just as he was about to ask her for the details of last night again the waitress came by again, dropping off their drinks. He took it as a sign to not bring up that topic.

He sipped the coffee. It was a strong brew, the caffeine flooding to his bloodstream and clearing away the cobwebs of his mind. "Did Brinkley need to go out last night?" He asked.

Emma nodded. "He did. He was very patient with me for having no idea what the hell I was doing." She gave him a small smile.

"I think he has a crush on you." Killian said seriously. "He'd be pissed at me for telling you."

Emma laughed. "Your dog. Has a crush on me? Get out."

"I'm quite serious love. You introduced him to a new show, he protected you from ponies. You took care of me last night and took him out to do his business. That's all it takes." Killian took a long drink of his coffee.

"What about his owner?" Emma asked with a shy smile on her face and Killian nearly choked on his coffee.

He felt his face redden, even the tips of his ears heated up. "His owner? Ah, yes well you see that's much more complicated than puppy crushes, you see. He ah, um. Perhaps he fancies you." He figured it was best to just say it.

She grinned. "Good."

"Good?" He echoed, confused.

"Yes. Good." Emma said simply.

He wanted to ask for clarification but their breakfast showed up, the sweet scent of chocolate chips wafted up to him, intermingled with the smell of butter, baked goods and bacon. _Oh, bacon._ He practically started salivating at the sight of it, mildly disgusted with himself that even the grease looked good enough to eat.

He watched as she cut off a corner of her pancake, swirling it through the copious amounts of syrup on the plate before popping it in her mouth, sighing sweetly. "That good, huh?"

Her eyes widened when she realized he had been watching her. "Yep. Try it."

Killian sliced off his own bite of pancake, stabbing a piece of bacon on the fork as well and brought it to his lips. She hadn't been lying, it was delicious. The pancake was perfectly fluffy with just the right amount of chocolate chips not to be overwhelming. Buttery, soft and sweet, it contrasted perfectly against the crisp, salty bacon. "Very good."

They ate in silence, both nearly clearing their plates before Emma spoke again. "So did you sleep okay?" She asked.

Killian nearly choked on his pancake. "I did. You?" He dared to ask.

"Yeah, you're bed is really comfortable. Good suggestion to move there." She said, that glint in her eye again.

"Emma-" he started.

"Refill?" The waitress asked pointing at his empty coffee mug.

"Nah, just the check please." Emma answered for him.

The waitress returned with it promptly and Killian half expected an argument from Emma when he offered to pay but she simply smiled and told him the next one was on her.

The drive to the main drag where he was truck was parked was pretty quiet. Killian was becoming increasingly frustrated that he couldn't remember the previous evening as well as he would have liked and had no idea why Emma was being so open with him.

She pulled into the parking space next to his truck. He had parked on a side street, but still a metered space and he wondered how large of a parking ticket fine he was looking at. As though she read his mind, she turned to look at him and said "I called Will the other night. You don't have a ticket."

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Thank you Emma. For everything."

She shrugged. "Will said you owe him a beer. He'll be here this weekend. You can make it up to him then."

"And you?" He asked, voice full of warmth that she was so willing to call in favors for him. "What do I owe you?"

"Hmmm." She tapped her thumb against her lip. "Scallops." She said finally.

"Scallops?" He repeated blinking at her.

Emma laughed. "They were really good. I want you to make them again. Next Tuesday at my place maybe? Seven?"

"I can do that." He answered slowly.

"Good. It's a date." She said grinning at him before her smile slipped a little. "Will you be okay today?"

It took him a few seconds to realize what she meant. He felt his face flush. "I won't be drowning myself in beer and rum today, if that's what you mean. I think I'll run some errands and take Brinkley to the pet store today."

Emma leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek so fast he almost wasn't sure if he imagined it. "Stay out of trouble today."

-/-

"I feel as though I should apologize for my behavior the last time I was here." He said, sliding into the barstool in front of Ruby. He had avoided bars and alcohol in general for the past couple of days.

Ruby laughed. "You have nothing to apologize for. I wish all my drunk customers were like you." When Killian frowned she continued. "You sat quietly in the corner, politely asked for more beer and rum, told me I had great taste in beer selections and asked for Emma once. Oh, and you gave me a decent tip."

"Still, it wasn't good form-"

"Killian. We all go through shit. We all have bad days and days where the bottom of the bottle is where we want to be. I'm a bartender. You wouldn't believe the shit I see and hear. You also know I'm incredibly nosy so I asked Emma what it was about. She told me, well I kind of forced it out of her but whatever. I'm not going to judge you for getting drunk over the death of an immediate family member. You know I'm here if you ever wanna talk right? Small towns are like families, Killian. Don't think you're not a part of it."

His mouth opened and closed a few times but no sound came out. He was touched by her words. "Thank you." He said finally.

She moved away to serve a few customers before returning back to him. "Do you happen to know what type of beer the good officer drinks?" Killian asked nodding in the direction of Will.

"I do. He's a Dogfish IPA kind of guy." Ruby replied.

"Great, you send him one over on my tab. It seems I owe him a bit of a favor." Killian replied.

"No problem." Ruby replied, grabbing a beer and passing it to the server for that section. "Take this to Officer Scarlett courtesy of Killian Jones." She instructed.

"Could I bother you with another question?" Killian asked her.

"You're not bothering me, but yes." Ruby replied, shaking up two mixed drinks.

"Did Emma say anything to you about about me? Or about her and I?" He asked, cringing slightly. He couldn't believe he had resorted to middle school antics of getting information about the lass he liked.

Ruby's eyebrows shot up. "No. What's different?"

"She's been much more...open towards me since the night she came here to retrieve my inebriated self. It's as though something changed, but I don't know what it was. I don't recall any developments in our friendship…" Killian confessed.

Ruby frowned. "I don't know. She's been tight lipped about you since like the fourth of July. I haven't pressed her for info because she's been happy and you've still been around so I assumed the two were related and didn't want to rock the boat so to speak. You could just ask her."

It was Killian's turn to frown. "If you hadn't noticed, she can be a bit skittish."

Ruby laughed loudly. "Touché, Jones. You're playing outside tonight, yeah? She's working tonight too, serving out there actually. I can pose some innocent questions if you like."

Killian shook his head. "I'll just ask her myself. May I order a burger though? I'd like to eat before playing tonight."

-/-

He was in the middle of a song when he saw her for the first time that night. She was carrying an enormous tray of drinks to the large table closest to the stage. She glanced up at him after serving and he couldn't help but wink at her, watching the smile creep up on her face.

He caught her eye a few more times that night, each time being rewarded with a smile from her. When her shift ended she slid onto one of the open barstools of the outdoor bar, listening to him finish his set. The crowd asked for more songs and he indulged them in two more before finally being able to bid them all a goodnight and making his way over to where Emma was still sitting.

"Waiting for me?" He asked in a teasing tone, delighted at how her face lit up when he approached.

"Yep." She replied simply. She tilted her head back, smile still playing on his lips and inhaled deeply. "It's like the boardwalk is humming with excitement tonight. Do you feel it?"

Killian closed his eyes. The salty sea air was wafting in on warm summer breezes intermingling with the scent of foods. It was loud, voices competing over it each other, but he felt it too. The excitement slithered through the air like fog coming in. It reverberated through each step on the boardwalk, through each wind chime that let off its melody, it twinkled around each light illuminating the boardwalk. "I do." He replied, opening his eyes to look at her again.

"Everything is going to close soon, but do you want to walk around?" She asked.

"I'd like nothing more." He slid his guitar behind the bar with Ruby for safe keeping and took Emma's hand, leading her out of the restaurant and onto the street.

They wandered in and out of every store, looking at keychains and hoodies and everything else adorned with the name of the beach town. Emma tried on an extremely large floppy hat, sticking her tongue out at him when he laughed at the image. He responded with lime green sunglasses asking her if he could pull them off. She laughed so hard the store clerk glared at them until they left.

In another store she held up a woman's cropped top to him, laughing. "You know Swan, I think I could pull that off." He teased, grabbing something from the rack and holding it up to her. It was a black sundress, revealing more than it covered. Killian couldn't help but picture her in it, the flimsy material would barely cover the tops of her thighs, the back nonexistent and the neckline dangerously low. Unintentionally his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

"You couldn't handle me in that." The words were teasing but her eyes held a glint of challenge.

"Not in public at least." He answered honestly, pleased at how the smirk slipped from her face and her eyes darkened when his meaning became clear.

They wandered into a few more stores, Killian purchasing a bracelet made to look like a sailors knot. When the stores began to close, they made their way back up the boardwalk and onto the beach. It was still crowded, the excitement still flowed through the air.

Taking her hand Killian slid the bracelet onto her wrist. "You didn't have to buy me anything." Emma replied immediately.

"I know. I wanted to." He said.

Hand in hand they strolled the length of the beach and back, shoes carried in their free hands until the noise died down and the lights began to turn off, indicating that the town was shutting down for the evening.

Standing in front of her bug, Emma's fingers trailed over the bracelet. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He replied automatically.

"So…" they both said at once, laughing once they realized neither knew how to end the evening.

"So I'll see you on Tuesday for scallops?" Emma asked.

"Aye, that you will. Think you can go that long without seeing me again?" He couldn't help but tease her.

"I'll survive." She said, coming up on tiptoe. "But maybe give me something to think about until then?" Her hands rested on his chest.

Killian's lips moved but no sound came out. He still hadn't asked her what happened that night at his condo, instead choosing to just enjoy his time with her. This was the first time she had brought up anything that had physically happened between them and he didn't know how to respond. "You couldn't handle it." He said finally, keeping it light and throwing her words back at her in case he was reading the situation wrong.

"Not likely." She replied, pulling his mouth to hers.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: There's a post right now going around on Tumblr listing sites that have copied FFN and reposted tons of stories. Mine are included. This makes me incredibly angry that they've stolen content that doesn't belong to them to make a profit. I've reported them all to Google and I know tons of other authors have as well, so now all that can be done is to wait. If those people are reading this: DO NOT REPOST. THIS STORY IS MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND IS NOT TO BE REPOSTED ANYWHERE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, WHICH I DO NOT GIVE.**

* * *

Chapter 27: Emma

 _K: is it alright if Brinkley joins us?_

 _E: he's totally making a fuss isn't he?_

 _K: to put it mildly_

 _E: as long as he's clear I'm not sharing my dinner with him :)_

Two sharp knocks on her front door pull Emma out of her daydream. She had been standing in front of her closet trying to determine what to wear and completely lost track of time. Now Killian and Brinkley had arrived and she was still in the robe he had given her. _Shit!_

She pulled open the front door. "Sorry, I'm running behind today."

His eyes widened as he took in her attire. Emma immediately looked down, hoping she had remembered to tie the robe. Thankfully she had, although even tied the robe displayed more cleavage than she usually went for. His hand reached out, fingers running along the material of the robe near her collarbone. "This looks familiar."

"It should. Let me go get dressed, I'll just be a minute." Emma said, stepping back to let them inside. "Make yourself at home." She called over her shoulder hurrying to her bedroom to change.

Eyeing the discarded pile of clothing on her bed, she extracted a black maxi skirt and a white tank top printed with small black anchors. She decided shoes were unnecessary and quickly shoved all of the other discarded clothing choices back into her closet. As she was walking out of her bedroom the bracelet Killian had given her caught her eye. It went with the nautical theme of her attire. She quickly slipped it on her wrist and shut the door behind her, curious to see what they had gotten up to in the short time she was gone.

She found Brinkley lying on the floor of her living room, looking very at home and a lot like a hairy, golden rug. Killian was in her kitchen, pulling ingredients and items from an oversized, reusable grocery bag. She moved to stand next to him, helping to empty the bag. "Wow if I knew you had to bring all of this I would have just came to you."

"It's no bother love. I wasn't sure what you had so I brought everything I might need." Killian explained.

"What are we having?" Emma asked.

"Scallops over risotto with sautéed asparagus." Killian replied.

"Risotto?" Her eyebrows went up. "That's impressive."

"It will be if I pull it off. I've only made it a few times and it's been awhile since the last." He answered and Emma could detect the hint of nervousness in his voice.

She took the bundle of asparagus from his hand and placed it on the counter, stepping into his space. Her fingers rested on his forearm and she tilted her head back slightly to look at him. "I'm sure risotto making is like riding a bike. And if it's not, we'll still have scallops." She went up on tiptoe and quickly pressed her lips to his.

Her eyes opened in time to see him leaning toward her, lips chasing after hers. She had intended to just kiss him once but seeing his reaction changed her mind. She kissed him again, letting him turn them so her back was against the countertops. His hand came around the back of her neck, tugging through her hair as he angled her head and took control of the kiss. Her fingers on his forearm tightened, the other hand coming to rest against his chest. Under her palm she could feel the rapid beating of his heart. He broke the kiss, inhaling deeply. "What was that for?" He asked breathlessly.

"Good luck?" It came out more of a question than a statement.

"That's quite the wish of luck." He replied, untangling his fingers from her hair and meeting her eyes.

His had darkened to a deep blue. She couldn't help but grin. "Well that's mostly on you." His cheeks turned pink and his lips parted, likely to apologize but she stopped him. "I wasn't complaining. But if we're going to eat dinner, we should probably get started on that. What can I do to help?"

She watched as he blinked a few times, his hands returning to his sides and he took a step back allowing her to no longer be trapped between him and the counter. His eyes scanned over the ingredients. He handed her a carton of chicken broth. "Could you pour half of this into a pot and get it warmed up on the stove?"

Emma did as he asked, then rinsed off the asparagus and broke off the woody ends. Patting the excess moisture from the stalks with a paper towel she sat them on the other side of the stove. She watched as he heated butter and oil in a skillet and minced a shallot. At his direction she measured out a cup of the arborio rice and then rinsed the scallops, patting them dry and seasoning them lightly with salt and pepper.

After the shallots had been sautéed, Killian added the rice to the skillet followed a few minutes later by a healthy glug of white wine and a ladle of chicken stock which his stirred in with a wooden spoon. "You're making this look easy." Emma said.

"It's not terribly difficult, it just requires patience because you can't rush the rice. Too high of heat and the stock will boil off before it can be absorbed by the rice properly which will leave you with hard rice. Too low of heat and you'll be here forever. Stirring the rice allows me to tell when I can add more stock." Killian explained.

"So I shouldn't distract you then?" Emma asked, bumping her hip against his.

She couldn't keep the smile off her face as his fingers scratched behind his ear, his head tilting to the side. "Ahh...perhaps not."

"I guess I'll go say hello to Brinkley then. Let me know when I can help again." Emma replied, leaving Killian in front of her stove and going to find his dog.

Brinkley was in the same spot as before but he sat up excitedly as Emma made her way over to him. She sat cross-legged on the floor next to him, reaching over to pay his head. "Hey there. It's been a while." She said softly. Brinkley responded by scooting closer and putting his head in her lap. "So," she whispered conspiratorially, "Killian thinks you have a crush on me." Brinkley let out an indignant sounding huff. "It's okay if you do, but I'm partial to humans. I might even kind of like your owner. Are you okay with that?"

Brinkley responded by rolling over and nudging Emma's hand down to his belly. She ran her fingers through the fur and assumed that meant yes. She nearly wanted to laugh at herself, having a conversation with a dog. Maybe it was natural from watching Killian do it, but it felt more normal than she had expected, talking to an animal that couldn't respond. She sat there a bit longer until Killian called her back into the kitchen.

"I see he's grown on you." Killian commented.

"Maybe a little bit." She replied, washing her hands and waiting for his next set of instructions.

"Would you like to learn how to make the scallops or finish the risotto?" He asked.

"Risotto." Emma replied and watched as he heated another skillet with butter, placing the scallops inside once it was hot enough.

He nodded toward the risotto. "See how there is a milky looking trail when you're stirring? That means it's ready for more stock. Pour in the last ladle and stir it through, then you can measure out a quarter cup of Parmesan and chop up a tablespoon or two of parsley."

Emma did as he asked, returning to stir the risotto after she had measured out the other ingredients. It has thickened up quite a bit in the last few minutes, looking like the consistency in which it was usually served. Killian asked her to turn it off and stir in the Parmesan. She flipped over the asparagus in another skillet as he checked the scallops before flipping them over.

"The key is not to touch them. You might think they're ready but they usually need another minute to fully caramelized, then they flip over easily." Killian explained.

Emma grabbed two plates and two wine glasses from her cabinets. She poured the chilled wine into the glasses and returned the bottle to the fridge. "I rarely eat at the table but we should tonight. I'll be right back." She he left the kitchen and crossed over to her unused dining room table glad she had dusted it off in the last week. She placed the glasses of wine next to each other and fumbled around in the drawer of an end table to find a lighter to light the (also unused) candles that sat there.

Returning to the kitchen she divided the asparagus spears onto the two plates and held them out for Killian to place a large spoonful of risotto onto, followed by the scallops. He picked up the chopped parsley and sprinkled it on top of each plate, taking them both from her hands. "Lead the way, love."

He was the perfect gentleman, scooting in the chair for her and waiting until she had taken a bite before trying it himself.

She tried the risotto first. "Oh my god, I could get used to this." She murmured.

"Could you?" He asked, a hopeful look on his face.

"Definitely. But I'd need to find a new exercise routine or something to keep off all the weight I'd gain from eating like this regularly." Emma answered honestly, wondering if Killian was finally going to question what has changed her behavior towards him. She was surprised it had taken this long.

"Or something?" He repeated back to her.

She grinned. "There are… _activities_ one can participate in in lieu of exercise to keep fit."

Emma watched as he swallowed hard, taking a gulp of his wine. She didn't intend to do so, but it was too easy to tease him, to watch how easily he became flustered when she responded suggestively. It amused her, he easily doled out his own innuendos but seemed to take a step back when she started it.

"Activities for _one_?" He asked carefully.

"One works, but it's better with two." She replied trying to keep an innocent look on her face.

Killian cleared his throat and set down his fork. "Emma, I feel as though I might have missed an important development between us…"

"You didn't." She interrupted.

Confusion crossed over his features. "But…"

"It wasn't between us." She continued. "I mean, I never said anything to you about it."

"Forgive me love, but I'm rather confused." Killian replied.

"I didn't say anything because I didn't really know what to say. I have fun with you. I like spending time together. I...like you." Emma replied feeling incredibly awkward.

But the smile that spread across his face was worth it. Dimples appeared on either side of his mouth, his eyes lighting up. "Well, that's rather fortunate seeing as I've found myself feeling similarly."

"So you…" She trailed off gesturing between them.

Killian chuckled. "I thought it was rather obvious, but I find myself rather attracted to and fond of you."

Despite her smile she felt the heat creep up her cheeks. Her left hand fell to her lap. "Is it going to upset you if we don't define anything? I still don't know how I feel about relationships." Under the table her fingers crossed together hoping he wouldn't be upset by her unwillingness to classify them in a relationship.

"I think I'm alright with that." Killian replied then gestures towards her plate. "I hope you didn't lose your appetite."

"No. Not at all." She said blinking quickly as though she remembered the delicious meal in front of her.

They are quickly, each stealing glances at each other unable to keep the smiles off their faces. She convinced him to leave the dishes alone, pulling him to the couch with her. He sat next to her, turning to face her and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Perhaps I do need a bit more definition." He said and Emma felt the smile fall from her face and her heart start to pound nervously.

Despite wanting to be with him she couldn't bring herself to say the words that came along with a relationship. The titles made her uncomfortable. She could trick her heart into believing there was no chance of getting hurt without defining labels but once they were there, it felt as though she had no defenses left. It left her too vulnerable.

"Hey," he said softly, fingers trailing the length of her jaw. "I don't want anything that you're not okay with. I just want to be on the same page as you, okay?"

Emma nodded unsure of what she could say to him to explain it.

"For instance, can I do this?" He asked, the fingers of his other hand sliding between hers.

Her fingers squeezed his and she nodded again. "I'm not much on public displays of affection."

Killian nodded. "So I can hold your hand in public but I can't shake our entwined fingers in everyone's face, showing it off?" Killian asked.

Emma laughed. "Yeah that works for me."

"And I'm to assume that your affections will not be expressed towards others in the same way?" He asked.

"You mean are you the only person I'll be doing whatever it is we're doing with?" Killian nodded. "Definitely just you. And the same for you?" She asked suddenly nervous.

Killian laughed. "You're quite oblivious when you want to be, love. I haven't as much as looked at another woman since meeting you. What is the protocol on...outings?" He fumbled for an appropriate word.

"Dates." She corrected. "I'm good with those. I'm guessing you'll still continue this whole 'how a lady should be treated' routine?"

"You've guessed correctly." He grinned at her. "So if someone were to ask I would say that you're my…"

"Emma. Just say Emma." She replied.

" _My_ Emma…I like the sound of that." He mused, barely loud enough for her to hear.

"Does that cover everything?" She asked, unable to keep the impatience out of her voice.

He looked at her curiously. "I suppose it will do for now. I'll let you know if I think of anything else...actually there is one more thing. What is your protocol on kissing?"

"I've been waiting for you to shut up so we can get to that part." She huffed impatiently.

Surprise crossed his feature as before he laughed. "Demanding little minx aren't we?" He teased.

Emma flushed. "Shut up. I like…you're good…" She tried again unable to put it into words.

"Tis alright, love. I'm rather fond of kissing you as well." He said, leaning toward her, their foreheads resting against each other before his lips found hers.

She sighed happily as their lips connected, nipping at his bottom lip to demand access to his mouth, not at all interested in kisses of the closed mouth variety. He complied immediately, matching her pace as his tongue slid against hers. Both of her hands went to his hair, her nails scratching against his scalp.

A noise similar to that of a growl caught in the back of his throat. She broke the kiss and repeated the motion with her hands, smirking as he made the noise again. "I like when you do that." She whispered against his lips before kissing him again.

Her hands move lower to link around the back of his neck and she shifted her weight, pulling him on top of her as she slid back against the couch lengthwise. She frowned when he broke the kiss much too soon, but the look on his face made up for it. His eyes were the brightest blue she'd ever seen and there was a look of awe in his eyes almost as though he expected her to shove him off her at any moment. Confirming her thoughts, he blinked at her a few times before asking if he was in some sort of dream.

Emma's not sure what caused it but there's certain times where his voice is lower than usual, his accent more pronounced and as much as it goes against every independent woman fiber in her body to be such a sucker for a handsome face and an accent, the combination does something to her; desire curling low in her stomach. She made a content humming noise before pinching his forearm, hard.

His brow furrowed, lips parting to likely ask her what that was for when she spoke first. "Not a dream."

"I see." He said, voice the same as before and she exhaled hard through her nose, gritting her teeth. "Something wrong, love?"

She leaned forward to kiss him but he backed away, looking at her in amusement and Emma realized she has no choice but to tell him if she wanted to move past it. "As much as I like listening to you talk, there's other more important things you could be doing with your mouth." Her eyes widened and red spots appeared on her cheeks when it dawned on her just how suggestive that sounded. It's not that she was against it, it just wasn't what she intended.

The look of amusement of his face only increased until a salacious smirk appeared in its place. The bastard had the nerve to wink at her, his tongue running suggestively over his bottom lip.

"I meant like kissing me." She hastily amended.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself, Swan." He replied, ducking his head to capture her mouth in a searing kiss.

Her fingers slid under the back of his shirt, nails scratching at his spine as he moved to her earlobe then neck. For all of its comfortability, the maxi skirt she wore offered very little in the way of flexibility in their current position. She twisted and wiggled until the material finally moved in her favor, allowing her legs to part, Killian's legs resting between them.

His lips returned to the shell of her ear; the warmth of his breath causing her entire body to erupt in goosebumps, waves of desire rolling through her. Killian's lips closed over her earlobe, a moan escaping from her lips. "Did I find something you like?" He whispered in her ear, repeating the action on her other earlobe when she murmured her assent, her body wiggling under his.

Grabbing his hair, she used her hold on him to steer his mouth back to hers. He took control of the kiss, kissing her long and slow enough to make her feel like she was going to melt into a puddle of desire.

Beside them Brinkley let out a bark, followed by a succession of them until Killian drug his lips from hers and turned to look at his dog. Emma turned her head as well. "Yes?" Killian asked his dog, clearly annoyed at the interruption.

Brinkley barked again, round brown eyes looking back and forth between both humans until Killian let out a huff and sat up, pulling Emma up with him. "I don't think he appreciates the show."

"Uhh…" Emma said not sure how to respond to a dog who didn't approve of them kissing.

His hand found hers, pulling her toward him again and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. "Besides I know what you're up to." He teased her. "A beautiful siren like you trying to lure an innocent lad like meself to your bed."

Emma laughed so hard she snorted which only made her laugh harder. "You? Innocent?"

Killian pretended to look affronted. "I'm a gentleman, I don't know what you're talking about."

"So what are we doing now?" Emma asked. She hadn't planned anything other than inviting him over for dinner and truly had no further intentions until he had started kissing her like that. The chemistry between them was unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

"Perhaps a movie?" He asked and Emma nodded, getting up to grab the remote. She settled in against him as he flipped through the recommendations on Netflix.

When the movie ended it took great effort on her part to pull herself away from his warm embrace and stand. He followed her to the kitchen, a matching frown appearing on his face as she flipped on the light and took in the pile of dirty dishes. "I can run everything through the dishwasher, but you'll likely be here another hour or two."

"That's up to you, love. I can take Brinkey for a quick walk and we can find something else to watch, but if you're tired of us, I can easily do these by hand and be out of your hair much sooner." Killian replied.

Emma rolled her eyes at him and began loading the dishwasher. "I'll join you on the walk if that's alright?"

It was Killian's turn to roll his eyes. "Of course, love."

She donned a light cardigan and slipped a pair of flip flops on her feet. Killian had one of his hands entwined with hers, the other holding onto Brinkley's leash. It was dark, the lights of her cottage only illuminating halfway down her drive. The neighborhood didn't have any lights installed either, siting something about taking away from the ambiance that Emma never understood.

They walked for a little while, stopping sporadically for Brinkley to sniff at things before he stopped completely in front of a large house with a For Sale sign out front. Flood lights pointed at the home, lighting up against the otherwise dark sky. "It's been on the market forever. I don't think they actually want to sell based off the price." She told him.

A light summer breeze blew warm air cutting through the humidity to make it more bearable to be outside. They ended up taking the long way back to her cottage, walking around the whole neighborhood. Nearly an hour had passed by the time they headed up her driveway again.

Brinkley was easily entertained by a repeat episode of Too Cute and Emma found herself making small talk with Killian until her ancient dishwasher completed its cycle.

He learned she took a self defense class at 18 and could likely kick his ass, that she was 14 for her first kiss and that she spent her high school years dying her hair dark brown because blonde was boring.

She learned that despite liking the act of fishing, Killian wasn't actually a big fan of eating fish, that he was grounded the first time for punching a boy in the nose when he was nine and his first kiss was at age 11.

"Flirt!" She teased before telling him her first CD was Alanis Morissette and her first crush was Zach from Saved by the Bell. She admitted to occasionally reading romance novels and that pedicures were her guilty pleasure.

He told her he loved the old episodes of Doctor Who, before it began popular again but David Tennant was his favorite doctor. He spluttered in outrage when she told him she'd never watched a single episode. "That will change, Swan. Mark my words."

He hated Brussels sprouts and Lima beans. He learned to play guitar as a teenager. An old Beatles record was the only thing he ever stole. He didn't understand the obsession in the states with iced tea.

She didn't go to the dentist for years after watching Little Shop of Horrors. Orchids were her favorite flowers. Despite not being romantic, visiting Paris to see the Eiffel Tower was high up on her bucket list.

He wanted to visit every ocean. The scent of lavender reminded him of his mother. The concept of sea glass fascinated him.

They traded likes and dislikes back and forth until she paused, looking at him curiously. "Don't you find it weird we're just sharing this kind of information with each other now?"

Killian shrugged. "Not really. Does it bother you?"

"It just seems a bit backward." Emma replied slowly. It doesn't really bother her, but it was enough to make her notice their unusual progression.

"Perhaps now was simply the right time to have this conversation." Killian replied, effectively turning off the part of her brain that had begun to worry.

Finally her dishwasher let out a series of low beeps indicating the cycle was complete. Emma helped him pack everything away, finding herself disappointed the night was coming to an end. She walked him to his truck, petting Brinkley goodbye as he hopped inside.

Killian walked her back up to her porch. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, miss Swan."

She rolled her eyes, swaying closer to him. "Thank you for a delicious dinner Mr. Jones" she replied, playing along.

"May I kiss you goodnight?" He asked.

"I thought you'd never ask." She grinned up at him until he closed the distance between them, gently placing his hands at her waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling his lips down to hers.

"Would you be interested in seeing me again?" He asked when they finally pulled away from each other.

"I would." She replied, her cheek pressed against his neck.

He kissed her again softly. "Wonderful. Goodnight, love."

He was heading off the porch when a random thought popped into her head. "The stuffed dog sleeps on my bed every night." She blurted out.

His lips twitched before creeping into a smile as her cheeks flushed. "I haven't washed my sheets because they smell like you."

* * *

In happier news, I absolutely love this chapter and I hope you do too.


	28. Chapter 28

You're welcome. ;)

* * *

Chapter 28: Killian

"Looks like a storm is coming in quickly, love. We should get back to the marina." Killian said, pointing up to the dark gray clouds in the distance.

Emma nodded, following him off the sandbar and back to where the jet ski was waiting for them. She swung her leg over and scooted as far forward as possible. He slid in behind her, wondering how he got to be so lucky to share a jet ski with her (she didn't want to drive her own, that's how) and turned the key, whipping them through the waves and back to the marina.

The dark clouds matched their pace and only seconds after he helped Emma onto the dock, they decided to open up in a heavy downpour. The look on her face was priceless; a combination of shock and indignation that she had managed to stay relatively dry during their jet ski trip but Mother Nature had the last laugh, opening the floodgates upon them.

He laughed, pulling her to him, slanting his mouth over hers. In reality, kissing in the rain was nothing like the movies made it seem. The drops hit his eyelashes, rolling in toward the corners of his eyes from the way his head was angled to kiss her. And for the beginning of August with a temperature in the low nineties and humidity nearly as high, he would have expected the rain to be warm but it was quite cold.

As that last thought dawned on him his brain registered how her bikini top clad chest was pressed to his bare one, the flimsy swimwear fabric doing nothing to mask her body's reaction to the chilly rain. Despite knowing this, his anatomy decided otherwise, believing it was his lips upon hers that caused the reaction, responding in kind. Her fingers twisted and tugged almost painfully in the hair at the nape of his neck, her body pressing harder against his, a soft noise bubbling up in the back of her throat.

A raindrop sliding into his ear canal reminded him they were outside in the open. He reluctantly broke the kiss, stepping back slightly but keeping his forehead pressed to his.

"Let's get you dry love." He said.

She smirked at him. "First time I ever heard a man say that." She said saucily.

Despite the conditions he felt his mouth go dry and he swallowed hard. "Come on." He nearly growled, taking her hand and pulling her towards his truck.

He had just gotten them inside his condo, his place being the closer of the two, when the power flicked off. "Damn it!" Killian muttered.

The hot water wouldn't last long with the power out and he wanted to shower and make something to eat, their previous dinner plans ruined by the unexpected summer storm.

His fingers raked through his wet hair turning to Emma with a frown on his face. "I'm sorry love, do you want me to take you to your place so you can take a hot shower with electricity?"

"My power could be out too. It's fine. Do you have candles?" She asked.

"Yes but I can't guarantee there's enough hot water for us both." He replied.

"So let's conserve the water."

Maybe the raindrops that went in his ear were messing with his brain. There was no way she had just suggested what he thought she did. _Did she?_ "Sorry?" He asked dumbly.

"We can take a shower together. I've seen your bathroom, I know the shower is big enough." She replied.

"Emma." He warned but she just shot him a smile.

"We're wasting whatever hot water is left Jones. Grab some candles and come on. I'll even be good and leave my bikini on to make you feel better." She said and sauntered toward his bedroom.

 _Clothed showering. Not naked. Good. Yes that was good._ Killian stood there dumbly for a few more seconds until his brain prompted him to move, gathering candles and a lighter and even the small box of toiletries she used the last time she was there.

The window in his bathroom provided enough natural light that he could see but not enough to shower in. Emma had ignored that, her damp shorts hung over the towel rack and the shower running. Hastily he lit the candles, illuminating the room further.

"Hurry while the water is still hot." She called to him from inside the shower.

Killian groaned. He had no idea where this bolder side of Emma had come from. All he knew is it was wreaking hell on his ability to be a gentleman.

He stepped into the shower, setting the container of samples just within arms reach. She stood under the hot spray with her back to him, rivulets of water rolling down her sun kissed skin. She was a siren, sure to lure him to his death.

As though she sensed him, she turned around and faced him, holding out her hand which he took. Her fingers laced with his as she backed up pulling him under the spray. "Hi."

"Hullo, love." His voice was rougher, accent more pronounced.

Her eyebrows raised but she said nothing, instead slid past him to grab shampoo from the samples he had brought in. "Let me." He found himself saying, even though he knew it was a bad idea.

Wordlessly she passed him one of the small bottles and turned her back to him. He poured the shampoo in his hands, rubbing them together to form a lather and then brought his hands to her hair. His fingers slid through her locks, coating them with shampoo before bringing his fingers back up to her hairline and beginning to massage the cleanser into her hair.

"Oh god." She muttered. "That feels so good."

Killian bit down hard on his lip reciting sports stats to keep his focus. Another minute or two of massaging her head and then he reversed their positions, tilting her head back under the spray as he stood behind her, rinsing it from her hair.

Before he could blink, her eyes had opened and she grabbed his bottle of shampoo, gesturing for him to turn around so she could return the favor. Her nails scratching against his scalp nearly did him in. He wanted to grab her hands and pin them above her head, pressing her body against the tiles wall of the shower. _Be a gentleman_ he repeated over and over in his head until she was done.

Barely unable to loosen his jaw he gritted out. "We better hurry, the water could turn cold at any minute."

"You can warm me up." She replied simply, her implication of just how he could do that clear in the way her eyes roved over his body.

"I'm trying to be a gentleman." He said in a clipped voice and she nodded, reaching past him again to grab conditioner which she quickly lathered into her hair before grabbing the body wash and cleaning herself as well as one could do when still in swimwear.

He thought about apologizing but decided it could wait until after the shower. She traded places with him again as he washed his body. The water had just begun to cool down when she rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair.

He reached forward, turning off the water and they both stood there looking at each other. "What if I don't want you to be?" She asked. "A gentleman I mean." Her fingers trailed from his wrist up his forearm to his shoulder, curling around his neck and toyed with his hair.

He groaned aloud. "There's no need to rush anything, Emma." He said as his brain and body shot off hundreds of reasons why that was the exact opposite of what they wanted.

She gave him a mock-pitying look. "Worried you can't handle it?" She teased.

"Worried I'll fuck it up, more likely. Worried I'll lose you." He answered honestly before he could stop himself. He closed his eyes not wanting to see her face.

Her hands came up to cup his cheeks and she stepped forward, pressing her body against his. "Hey," she said gently, her thumb tracing over the scar on his cheek. "You're not going to lose me. I want this. I want you." She pressed her lips to his.

"Besides, it's more likely I'll fuck this up. Not you." She said with a self-deprecating laugh.

His arms curled around her waist, his nose nuzzling against hers. "No you won't."

His lips found hers and it wasn't long before the chemistry between them had taken over, her body arching into his touch. Without the heated water the air in the shower became cold. Still kissing her, he walked them backwards out of the shower, only letting go long enough to blindly reach for a towel. He wrapped it around her, intending to reach back for another for himself, when she broke the kiss and wrapped the towel around both of them, pressing their bodies together. "Warm me up, Killian."

"Are you sure?" He asked, needing to know she was completely certain.

"Yes." There was no hesitation in her voice this time, no hitch in her tone.

While she might be completely confident, Killian had to admit he was worried. It was her first time in years. It needed to be slow and gentle. It needed to be perfect.

She kissed him again, arms wrapping around his neck as she maneuvered him backward out of the bathroom until she felt the bed at the back of her legs. He let her lead, watching as she sat down and scooted up the bed, her eyes never leaving his. She slid under the blankets and it only took a heartbeat before he joined her, the discard towel falling uselessly to the floor.

He hovered above her, propped up on his forearms as he pulled the blankets up around them. He ducked his head to kiss her and the moment their lips connected, she pulled him down, letting his body weight press her into the mattress. She made a purring noise in the back of her throat as their bodies connected, just as a growl escaped his lips. He hadn't done anything but kiss her, yet he couldn't believe how good her body felt under him, as though they were made to do this together.

He propped himself up on one elbow again, his other hand snaking around the back of her neck. He nipped at her bottom lip at the same time he applied a gentle amount of pressure with his fingers. Her lips parted, inviting him in as her back arched, pressing her breasts into his chest. Killian kissed her thoroughly, his tongue sweeping into her mouth and sliding against hers in a slow rhythm mimicking what he planned to do to her body.

Beneath him, her legs parted and her hips rolled up into his. Her nails scratched at his lower back, silently insisting more from him. He intended to take it slow, to drag every ounce of pleasure out of her that he could, but he couldn't resist rolling his own hips down into her. He was rewarded with the immediate rise of her hips, chasing after his and a moan escaping from her lips.

He kissed her again, that slow slide on his tongue against hers until her fingers tightened in his hair to the point where it just hurt. She broke the kiss, panting. "Stop teasing me."

"Oh love, it looks like it will be you who can't handle it. I'm only getting started." He said against her lips before making his way down her neck.

She let out a breathy little sigh when he kissed the juncture of her neck and collarbone, cataloging the reaction for later. He wanted to know every inch of her body that caused her to sigh or moan. What made her hips raise into his, what caused her back to arch the furthest.

He made his way across her chest, kissing and licking until he reached the damp material of her bikini top. His tongue traced the seam of the fabric covering one breast, his fingers doing the same to the other, her back arching on a loud exhale. Like he had on the boat, he released a puff of breath over her nipple, knowing his hot breath would contrast against the cool, damp material.

"Killian." She whimpered, arching further into him. He raised his lips to the swells of her breast, smirking into her skin as he kissed there. He couldn't help it, the needy sound of her voice as she said his name did things to him.

Not wanting to tease her but not deliver, he lowered his head slightly, lips going around the hardened bud over the fabric. "Yes, more." She muttered and he was only happy to oblige, flicking his tongue back and forth, his thumb rubbing over the other.

Emma's hips bucked up into his as he switched his tongue and thumb, his free hand trailing up her body until he found the strings of her top. The strings came undone easily. He raised his head slightly, catching her lust-filled eyes as he pulled down the material with his teeth, finally exposing her bare chest to him.

She was beautiful, a combination of pale and dusky rose skin. He only had a few seconds to appreciate her beauty before her nails were digging into his forearm. "Do something." She begged.

He winked, watching her mouth part into a perfect O shape when his lips closed over her puckered flesh, alternating between sucking and flicks of his tongue.

He alternated between her breasts until she was wriggling beneath him, hips bucking upward seeking some type of friction. He slid his hand under her back, unhooking the bikini top and pulling it away from her as he pressed kisses down her stomach.

"Killian, please." She whined when he licked a stripe across her hipbone.

"Please, what?" He sing-songed back at her.

Her eyes narrowed when they met his. "Stop teasing me." She bit out through clenched teeth.

"Oh, love." He said, sliding back up her body and capturing her bottom lip between his teeth. "I won't leave you wanting, I promise." He kissed her quickly before his fingers hooked under the sides if her bikini bottoms, pulling them down and settling himself between her legs.

"You don't have-" she started but he wouldn't let her finish.

"Yes, I do." He said, bending her knees slightly and making himself more comfortable. "I want to. I want to hear the noises you make, I want to feel your legs tremble, I want to see your gorgeous face as you give into the ultimate pleasure."

As he spoke, he moved closer and closer to where she needed him. He could tell she was aroused enough that she didn't need this, but he wasn't lying to her. He wanted to do this more than he wanted to be inside her. He had a feeling the jerks she was with in the past hadn't made sex about her pleasure and he was going to change that.

A low, long moan escaped her lips as he tasted her. It didn't take long to learn what she liked, by the noises that fell from her lips and the shaking of her legs around his head. He could see the white knuckles grip she had on his sheets. Not wanting to tease her any longer, he increased his pace, one hand finding hers and the other pressed firmly on her thigh to keep her legs from clamping shut as non-sense fell from her lips. When her back arched higher and her hips rise up of their own accord to meet his ministrations, he averted his gaze to her, watching as her entire body tensed and her fingers squeezed his so tightly until the waves of pleasure rolled over her body.

He could have stopped then, but found as much as he wanted her, as much as his own body was aching for release that he wanted to see her come again.

He slowed down, coaxing her through it and pressing his hand down on her thigh when she started to scoot away. "Not again." She said, voice filled with desire.

"Please?" He asked.

"I can't." She whispered as her own body betrayed her words, legs parting to pull him closer and back arching as he twirled his fingers around her nipple.

"Are you sure?" He asked, tongue stroking her as he slowly slipping a finger inside.

Emma moaned loudly, her hips chasing his movements. "No. Yes. No."

His movements stilled not wanting to push her further than she was willing to go even if her body reacted differently. Her eyes fluttered open, pupils so dilated he could barely see the green anymore. "I meant... I don't want you to stop."

"As you wish." He said into her skin, continuing where he left off, adding a second finger when she begged him for more. Her second orgasm came quickly and he continued his motions wanting to prolong the pleasure for her as long as possible.

When her body stopping shaking, he crawled back up the bed, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before pulling her against his side. He drew circles on her back with his fingertips as she caught her breath, in through her nose and out through her mouth instead of the shallow panting he had caused.

He sucked in a breath when her fingers trailed over his hipbones and traced his straining length through the fabric of his swim shorts. She sat up quickly, fingers fumbling with the knot. He placed a hand over hers causing her to meet his eyes. "There's no need to rush." He said again.

"Just because you have more patience than a saint doesn't mean I do. I want you. Now." She replied, finally undoing the knot. Not wasting a second, her fingers hooked around the material pulling the fabric away.

Her fingers curled around his length as she swung a leg over him, straddling him. Emma leaned forward to kiss him, biting at his lips with impatience. "Is it okay like this?" She asked sitting back over his thighs.

All Killian could do was nod in response. Her fingers still curled around him, her breasts swayed enticingly as she moved. She shuffled forward, rising up and positioning him over her entrance when his brain sparked to life, uttering one word. "Protection."

She froze. "Oh, right."

He hated that his brain chose that word. He knew she was thinking of it in terms of pregnancy and he had just reminded her of what she could never have again. "I meant to say condom." He mumbled, reaching for her. "I didn't forget, I just thought you'd be more comfortable…"

"When were you last tested?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Before I moved here. Everything came back as it should." He replied, surprised his body was less angry with him than he expected for killing the moment.

"They tested me before I was discharged from the hospital. All good." She nearly whispered but didn't move.

Killian knew he needed to do something, to say something to pull her mind away from those memories. Not because he wanted her for sex, but because he couldn't stand to watch that pain cross over her face again. He flipped them, lying her on her side to face him. He kissed her nose, then each of her cheeks, his fingers tucking the errant blonde waves behind her ears. "I'm sorry Emma. We should have had this conversation before now."

"Kiss me." She replied.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Kiss me. Touch me. I don't want these memories in my head. I want you. Make them go away." She said.

Unwilling to deny her anything, he pressed his lips to hers, chastely at first, gaining confidence as she pressed closer to him. He deepened the kiss, pulling her on top of him, running his fingertips over the goosebumps that erupted over her skin. She sighed when he cupped her breasts, her hips grinding down into his. She repeated the motion as he kissed and fondled her, until she was rubbing herself against his length. Killian moaned, wanting to be inside her as much as he wanted her to use him for her pleasure.

"I like hearing you." She mumbled against his lips. "Don't stop." She rubbed against him again, and he did as she asked, a groan slipping past his lips this time, hips bucking up slightly into hers. "But I need more."

"Take what you need, darling." He told her.

She rose up, taking him in her hand once more. He forced his eyes open, meeting her gaze and nodded. Her mouth parted as she slid down his length. He found himself mimicking her expression unable to speak. When she remained still after a moment he forced himself to speak. "Emma?" He croaked.

Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his. "It's...you…" Her hands reached forward, interlacing with his as she lifted up and sank back down again. "Wow."

He could only nod, knowing exactly how she felt. He done this enough times in his life to know this was different. His entire body hummed with equal parts pleasure and tension. He felt as though he was radiating happiness. And then she moved, rolling her hips against his. He felt her fingers squeeze against his, felt the pull of pleasure as she rose up and down. It felt like home.

She fell into a rhythm, grinding against him with each downward stroke. He could feel her orgasm building but didn't think he could hold out long enough. His fingers slipped from hers, moving to where they were joined. He felt the sensitive nub brush against his thumb as she slid down him. "Ohh" she moaned, her body shivering at the sensation.

She slowed down for a moment or two, letting the the slow drag of his thumb draw her closer to the brink and then her pace increased, hips rising and falling into his as she chased after her own pleasure. His hips snapped up into hers, meeting her thrust for thrust until her legs began to shake around his, her back arching as he took her over the edge once more. She pulled him over with her, his hips stuttering up into her one last time before she fell forward onto his chest.

Killian wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him with no desire to move in the immediate future. It was a few minutes later before she sat up again, wincing slightly and he remembered with a start that a lack of condom meant there was cleanup required. He lifted her to the other side of the bed. "I'll be right back."

Returning from the bathroom with a wet washcloth he wiped between her legs before taking care of himself. Tossing the washcloth aside, he climbed back into bed, pulling her against him.

"Wow." She said again.

"Yes. Definite wow." He echoed.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Emma

"Give me the details right this second." Ruby demanded when Emma arrived at the auto shop.

"Details for what?" Emma asked, playing dumb.

"You are glowing. I haven't asked about you and Killian in weeks and obviously a lot has changed, so come on, spill." Ruby replied not missing a beat.

"Can we talk about this at lunch?" Emma asked. Ruby was right, aside from her asking about what caused Killian to come to the bar, they hadn't talked about anything I'm ages and Emma knew it wasn't going to be a short conversation.

"Fine. Just kill me with the suspense." Ruby pouted, turning on her computer and picking up a stack of service orders that needed to be invoiced.

Not ten seconds after the clock switched to noon, Ruby was perched on the corner of Emma's small desk staring her down impatiently. "Really?" Emma asked.

"Yes really! You haven't gone on a date since you moved here. You haven't even looked twice at a man and then Killian shows up and you're friends and now I know more has happened and I desperately need to know the details. Besides, aren't I supposed to be telling you if I still think you're an idiot for not dating him?" Ruby argued.

Emma knew Ruby had her there. Not like she particularly wanted Ruby to tell her she was an idiot for taking as long as she did with Killian. She understood now why her friend had pushed it so hard, but her heart and her mind weren't ready and then needed additional time to get on the same page. It didn't take Emma long to realize that in order for the story of what happened between her and Killian to make sense to Ruby, she would need to share the unpleasant tale of her past.

After getting past the initial fear and dread of sharing it with Killian, her heartbreak and loss had lessened. _Apparently it is therapeutic to share your feelings_ Emma thought sarcastically to herself. By no means was she ready to start attending or running support groups, but sharing her experience had definitely helped her.

From the time Emma had first arrived in the small coastal town, Ruby had proven to be an amazing friend. There was no awkward "becoming friends" period when Emma first started at the auto shop. Ruby had simply implanted herself in Emma's life in such a non-intrusive way, Emma didn't even have the chance to put up her walls and stop the friendship from developing. As much as she despised the idea of relying on anyone, she knew Ruby always had her back.

"You are supposed to tell me that." Emma finally answered. "But it's not necessary anymore. I don't think this is going to make any sense to you unless I tell you about my past, about what happened before I came here."

Her friends eyes immediately softened and she nodded waiting for Emma to continue.

"The only other person who knows this is Killian." Emma said, taking a deep breath. She just wanted to state the facts, get it over with and move on to talking about Killian. "I was in a pretty serious relationship when I lived in Texas. I got pregnant but when I was five months along I had a miscarriage which ended up requiring a hysterectomy. Then I found out that my boyfriend was actually a two-timing piece of shit who was married to the doctor who performed my surgery. I moved here barely two months later."

Ruby's mouth opened but no sound came out at first, then it was a flurry of apologies. "Fuck, Emma. I am so sorry. That's like the shittiest string of events to happen to someone and you just packed up and came here? With no one to help you...because of how shitty your childhood was. Fuck. I am so, so sorry. Not like those words even mean anything in comparison…"

"Ruby," Emma interrupted. "You don't have to apologize."

"I know, I just...Jesus, you came here and I just interjected myself in your life and pushed you and oh fuck, I even teased you for not having sex and it's not even like you could at first right? I am such an asshole." Ruby blathered on.

"Ruby."

"No wonder you didn't look twice at any guy. You hated the entire male species and you have every right to. What a piece of fucking scum, your ex. I hope his balls fall off." Ruby continued.

"Ruby." Emma tried again.

"It was June 10th when it all happened right? That's why you take off that day? Fuck I am just so sorry you had to go through that. I just can't even imagine." Ruby went on.

"RUBY!" Emma yelled, finally getting her friend to stop talking. "Yes, you interjected yourself into my life but that's really for the best. You didn't know what was wrong, I could feel normal around you. Well, as normal as possible. No, I couldn't have sex until I'd healed from the surgery but even after I had no interest in being with anyone. And yeah, it was June 10th. Now you know why I don't work that day."

"But all of the things I said…" Ruby looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Emma had managed to tell her story without getting emotional and she was damned if she was going to let it happen now. "You didn't know. Because I didn't tell you. I don't hold any comments about sex or kids or anything against you. I swear I don't. But don't go getting emotional on me. I was a fucking wreck when I told Killian and he's the one who knows what to do when people are crying, not me. Please don't make awkwardly pat your arm and hand you tissues." Emma teased, trying to reassure her friend it was really okay.

Ruby shook her head and took a deep breath. "Okay. No tissues. I'm good, now tell me how all this plays into Killian."

"Promise me first that you're not going to tell anyone. Not even Victor. I don't think I can handle the looks of pity. No one in Texas knew either but I felt like every time someone looked at me they could see what happened. It's part of why I came here. It was new, no one knew me and I could be invisible. And look, I don't really want to ever talk about this again either. Telling you and Killian was enough. I know I'm not "dealing with it properly" and all that shit," Emma said making finger quotes, "but I'm dealing with it in my own way and I don't want anyone interfering."

Ruby held up get her pinkie and wrapped it around Emma's. "Pinkie promise, cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye and all that jazz."

Emma couldn't help but smile at at her friend's childish declaration of promise. "So on that day in June Killian sent me care package. It had gossip magazines, nail polish, a stuffed animal, all kinds of stuff. He put a note in there saying that he understood hiding away from the world and it was what he did after his brother had died but he wanted me to know that he and Brinkley were thinking of me. Then late that night he had dinner delivered and the man even sent cucumbers because the help with puffiness."

"Cucumbers? Really? That man is totally a keeper." Ruby interrupted.

"The next time I saw him was for the first karaoke night and you know how drunk we were. He took me home and I kissed him." Emma continued but didn't get far.

"Wait, you kissed in JUNE and I'm just finding out about it now? You're killing me Emma. Back up and give me details." Ruby interrupted.

"Sorry."

"You should be." Ruby fixed her with a mock glare.

"Anyway, this kiss was...I don't know...good. Like the kind of good where you forget your name and to remember to breath. But after I panicked that I was definitely leading him on and ignored him for a week."

"Emmmmmmmmaaaaaaaa" Ruby whined.

"Obviously we got past it! Now shut up and let me finish or I'm not telling you anything else." She threatened, not meaning a word of it.

Ruby rolled her eyes but brought her finger to her lips and pretended to zip them closed, throwing away the imaginary key.

"I realized I was being stupid and he said that I wasn't leading him on, there was obviously chemistry between us and he wasn't going to push for anything neither of us were ready for. So I invited him to watch the fireworks with me and it was really nice then. You know what it's like on the beach for that, the air is just humming with excitement and anticipation...later that night challenged me to another game of skeeball. The shithead won and his prize was for me to have dinner on the boat with him. His boss let him rent one from the marina and yes it was a date." Emma said, answering Ruby's unanswered questions.

Taking a sip of water Emma continued. "We went out into the bay before sunset and he cooked dinner. Scallops over pasta. Oh my god was it delicious. We went back on deck to see the sunset and have dessert. I think that's when he asked if it was a date and I said it was and then we were kissing and more-"

"Kissing and more? What are you thirteen?" Ruby asked, no longer able to keep her silence.

Emma rolled her eyes. "We were heavily making out with the very obvious intention that it was going to lead to sex. He asked if I was sure and I said to just go slow because it had been a while. I've told you before how he can read me; he must have picked up on something and asked what happened. So we went back into the cabin and I told him and he was great about it. And then I felt like an idiot because we had missed the sunset and were now in the middle of the bay in the dark and I had mascara all over my face."

"And he told you that you weren't an idiot at all, likely that you were beautiful and then got you back safely, right?" Ruby finished.

"Pretty much. He even asked if I wanted space and I said no." Emma said.

Ruby clapped her hands in glee. "You know how happy that makes me, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. So the next time I saw him was when you called me from the bar. You know it was the anniversary of his brothers death. So I took him home and gave him water and aspirin and figured I would just leave, but something kept me there. Once he slept off the worst of it we were talking. He told me about his brother and how much he missed him. And I kind of had this realization that I wanted what was happening between us to continue. I wanted to try to help him, to talk about silly stuff, to be there like he had for me. It wasn't the right time to say anything though, so I didn't bring it up for a while. I'm still not okay with labels and definitions, it just feels too...vulnerable? I guess, I don't know."

"Forgive me for my moment of gushing, but I am so happy for you. You deserve this Emma. Killian does too. You guys are really good for each other and I'm just so damn happy you see it now too." Ruby said, beaming from ear to ear.

"Thanks?" Emma replied questioningly, still not comfortable with compliments.

"You're welcome. So when did you tell him?" Ruby asked.

"A couple of days later. I'm not going to lie it was amusing to flirt with him and watch him get all flustered. He came over and made me dinner again and asked me if something had changed between us. I told him it had and my issues with labels and he was okay with it. Yesterday we borrowed a jet ski from the marina and went out into the bay then got caught by that stupid ass storm. We were soaked and went back to his place because it was closer. Was your power out?"

"Yeah for a few hours. His was?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah but we were both covered in salty seawater and rain so I pulled him into the shower with me-"

"You WHAT?!" Ruby blurted out.

"In swimwear!" Emma said defensively but she couldn't keep the smirk off her face.

"Did you seduce the hot Irish guy, blondie?" Ruby teased her. "You did! You were totally wearing the nautical bikini and lured him in like a damn siren! I'm assuming he looks even better without a shirt?"

Emma nodded, feeling her cheeks flush. "He does. But I didn't force him into anything, he was a willing participant!"

"Duh." Ruby rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it was terribly hard for him to ignore the hot blonde in his shower. Then again, he has that whole "I'm a gentleman" routine down. How'd you get past that?"

"Told him I wanted him." Emma replied, blushing harder. She had no idea why she was doing it, logically she knew it was completely reasonable for a woman to tell a man she wanted him sexually, but she still couldn't say it without blushing.

"You initiated?! Damn. Was it what you expected?" Ruby asked.

"Better." Emma answered honestly. "The chemistry between us is insane."

Ruby laughed. "Glad you finally picked up on that as well. There were times I was seriously concerned with getting shocked the sparks radiate so hard between you two."

"Shut up. It is not like that."

"Uh, yes it is. Now brace yourself blondie, I'm about to hug you." Ruby warned, hopping off the desk.

The words had barely registered in her mind before she was engulfed by Ruby.

"This is for everything. For what you went through, for being my friend, for dealing with me, for taking a chance on Killian, for letting yourself be happy." Ruby said squeezing her.

"Thanks?" Emma said confused.

Ruby pulled back and looked at her. "Sorry. Crossed the emotional line. Can we go out and get drinks tonight and celebrate your happiness?"

"Killian is playing at the Cork Screw in Dewey. I told him I'd stop by…" Emma trailed off, wondering if inviting her friend was the right thing to do. She knew Killian wouldn't care, but she didn't know if including Ruby in something she already had planned was a bad friend move. She didn't have close friends when she lived in Texas and didn't know the 'rules' of mixing friends and boyfriends.

"Yes I'll come with you listen to your hot boyfriend sing. Wait, can I call him your boyfriend?" Ruby asked.

"Can you just call him Killian instead? I know it's stupid, but I'm just not ready for the labels yet." Emma asked, feeling foolish.

"It's not stupid, Emma. I cannot believe how much you've kept from me. I mean, I get it, but damn girl, don't like go elope and tell me after." Ruby chastised.

Emma felt her eyes widen. _Marriage?_ Her brain asked. It took a few seconds before all of the synapses in her brain connected the dots. _Right, dating (when you can get around to calling it that) can lead to marriage._

"Sorry. I clearly freaked you out there. You don't have to marry him. Or anyone. He might not even want to get married. Like ever, not just to you I mean. Fuck, I'm fucking this all up. See what happens when you give me awesome news overload?" Ruby said frowning.

"No, it's fine." Emma assured her. "It just threw me for a second. I just never thought that far into the future or about anything that permanent. But I'll just stick with becoming okay with relationship terms for now, okay?"

Now that the idea has been implanted into her brain she couldn't help but think about it, which startled her. As a child she didn't dream of a pretty princess wedding. Her Barbie and Ken dolls (before they were destroyed by her cousins) never got married. She never had a relationship where she dreamed of the future. It was part of the reason she was so terrified when she found out she was pregnant. It meant a permanent change in her life. She couldn't just up and run with a kid or even a husband.

"Do you want to grab dinner before we go? What time does he play?" Ruby asked pulling Enma out of her thoughts.

"Yeah let's grab a burger or something first. He goes on at nine. I'll drive." Emma replied not really giving Ruby a choice. Public parking was extremely limited in Dewey and her tiny bug could squeeze into more spaces that Ruby's larger car.

"Fine. But I'm coming over afterwards leave here and dressing you for tonight. Let's see if we can make him drool over you." Ruby said excitedly.

-/-

Emma sat on the closed toilet seat as Ruby did her make up. She felt layer after layer of eyeshadow being applied to her eyes and was beginning to wonder exactly what Ruby was making her look like, when she switched to mascara before telling Emma she could open her eyes again. An application of bronzer and blush, followed by a swipe of gloss and emma was finally able to see what she looked like. Standing up and glancing into the mirror, her eyes widened at the reflection staring back at her. Ruby had done a super dark smoky eye and minimal make up on the rest of her face. Despite the dark shadow, her eyes looked brighter and greener. "I like it." She told Ruby who simply nodded and gestured for Emma to sit back down.

A few dangerously close encounters with the curling wand and a haze of hairspray later, Emma was allowed to see Ruby's creation; Ruby had teased her roots, giving her volume at the top of her head which turned into loose, messy curls.

"I know it's not your thing, but what about this top?" Ruby asked, holding up what could barely be considered enough fabric for clothing. It was similar to the dress she showed Killian on the boardwalk, with the back consisting of only a few strands of fabric.

"With what else?" Emma asked warily.

"Skinny jeans and heels. With your hair down it will cover most of the open back but it still screams sexy and should be more than enough to have your blue eyed man stumbling over his words." Ruby said with a grin.

"Well, I don't want that, but yeah I'll wear the top. If you can call it that...am I supposed to wear a bra with it?" Emma asked, taking the garment and holding it up.

Ruby frowned before heading over to Emma dresser and pulling out a hot pink lace bra. "Try it on with this."

Emma did as instructed, slipping on the skinny jeans and metallic heels as well. She couldn't see the full outfit in her bathroom mirror but it looked pretty good to her. The scoop neck of the top hung long enough that hints of the pink lace peeked over the top if she leaned forward. She exited the bathroom and did a slow spin for Ruby's approval.

"Yes. You look amazing. You just need this." Ruby replied, lifting a long pendant necklace over Emma's head. "Oh and this." She grabbed a green cardigan from Emma's closet. "For dinner." She explained.

They arrived at the bar where Killian was playing nearly a half hour before he was set to go on stage. It was crowded, but Ruby managed to snag them two seats with a direct line of vision to the stage. Drinks ordered, Emma pulled out her phone and sent a text to Killian that she was there with Ruby. He responded immediately, telling her he was waiting backstage to go on but couldn't wait to see her. Emma couldn't help but smirk, wondering what he would think of her outfit. She had to admit, it was a bit fun getting dolled up like this when she had Ruby with her and knew she didn't have to lie about being with someone to fend off any drunken suitors that might approach them.

It wasn't long before Killian came out on the stage, casually sliding onto the barstool and pulling his guitar over his lap. Emma watched as his eyes scanned the crowd looking for her and the smile that lit up his face when he found her. He introduced himself to the crowd, asking how they were tonight and Emma watched in amusement as many women turned to look at the stage, curious to see who the owner of the accented voice was that came out more pronounced over the microphone.

He started off with Journey's _Don't Stop Believin',_ the crowded bar immediately singing along to the popular tune. Killian effortly switched between the 80's and 90's; Duran Duran flowing effortlessly into Matchbox 20. R.E.M. followed Hootie and the Blowfish, Bryan Adams led into the Goo Goo Dolls. The crowd cheered louder with each song. Throughout the set his eyes kept coming to land on hers and it didn't take long for others in the crowd to realize that. A group of women who had been in front near the stage, followed the direction of his gaze a few times before giving up their attempts to get Killian's attention. With a shrug they headed back toward the bar, one shooting a thumbs up to Emma.

Killian's set came to an end and Emma knew he would be joining them shortly. Her back was turned towards the stage when she sensed he was approaching. She could practically feel the heat from his stare as he took in the strands of fabric creating a back to the shirt. Her skin tingled in anticipation, goosebumps covering her flesh as she felt his fingers rest possessively against the small of her back.

Emma turned to face him slowly, the praise of his singing dying on her lips as she registered the navy blue shade his eyes had become. He looked as if he wanted to devour her whole. His tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip, Emma's eyes following the movement. While he might not have been actually drooling, Emma decided Ruby had accomplished exactly what she had planned for the evening.

He stepped closer, his other hand coming to rest on her hip as his lips brushed against the shell of her ear. "Bloody hell Emma. That scrap of fabric shows more than it covers."

His words reminded her of something Walsh had once said, a complaint about a dress being too revealing and she realized she has began dressing more conservatively after that. While the words may have been similar, the tone couldn't possibly be more different. Walsh had been condescending and rude. Killian, on the other hand, his voice rough and low and appreciative had made a compliment.

"Too much?" She asked, confirming it didn't upset him. Not like it had any right to, but she wanted to know all the same.

"No. It just makes you more irresistible than usual. And leads to some very ungentlemanly thoughts." He replied, ducking his head a tiny bit to nip at the spot behind her ear.

"Care to fill me in on those?" She asked, automatically tilting her head to give him better access.

His scruff brushed against the sensitive skin on her neck. "I'd prefer to show you." He rasped.

"Later?" Emma asked and Killian nodded.

"Why aren't you famous?" Ruby asked causing Killian to laugh.

"I'm not interested in it. You lose your privacy, any semblance of a normal life." Killian responded. "But thank you for the vote of confidence."

As further proof, throughout the night random people came up to them and told Killian how good he was. Emma grinned with pride, equally amused that with each person that came up, Killian began to look more and more bashful.

* * *

This was another one of my favorite chapters to write. I hope you enjoy it!


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30 Killian

"This is awesome." Ruby said, flipping her sunglasses onto her head as she stepped aboard the cruiser. "How'd you make this happen?"

"Kris is a generous man. To be honest, I'm sure he feels bad that he was never able to find a suitable replacement and I'm much more of a permanent employee than temporary help." Killian replied, taking the oversized beach bag from her hands and the cooler from Victor's as her boyfriend followed her aboard.

"Totally not complaining." Ruby said looking around the boat. "What kind of boat is this?"

"Cabin cruiser. Thirty-four feet. It's meant for luxury more than speed. There's a kitchen, living room, full bath and two sleep areas below deck." Killian replied, his head turning to see Emma coming down the pier with Brinkley. "Ah, there you are love." He said reaching out to take her hand and help her aboard.

"Sorry, Anna can get a bit chatty." Emma apologized to the group, making her way over to them a few minutes later.

"Come on Brinkley" Killian called and the canine effortless leapt from the pier to the cruiser. "No worries love, it's not as though I'd leave without you." He paused to press a quick kiss to her temple.

"There's a sandbar not terribly far from here. Tends to fill up with the locals from Pot Nets but I think we could find a spot. Shall we go there?" Killian asked.

Ruby, Victor and Emma all agreed. He made quick work of putting away their beach bags and taking the cooler into the cabin. Lifting up the cushion of one of the long built in seats, he pulled out life vests. "They've been cracking down lately."

His guests obliged without a comment and Killian put on his own vest plus one for Brinkley. He untied the rope from the posts with Victor's assistance and once they were all seated, started the engine and headed out into the bay.

He loved this feeling; the rays of the hot summer sun beating down on his shoulders, the sweet, salt air whipping through his hair, his hands on the well-worn steering wheel, the powerful vessel beneath his feet. It was only made better when Emma came up behind him, her soft hands circling around his sides before linking together on his stomach. Her chin came to rest on his shoulder. "Hello, love." He said removing one hand from the wheel to place it over where hers were joined.

"Hi." She said simply, the happiness radiating from her voice.

His hand returned to the wheel and her fingers began to wander, running over muscles and sun-warmed skin. "Emma." He warned, wanting nothing more than to spin around and let his lips find hers.

"Mmm." She hummed, content. "You need sunblock."

"As soon as we get there I'll let you cover me in lotion if you can manage to keep your hands to yourself considering we have company." Killian teased her.

Slim fingers pinched at his sides, telling him exactly what she thought about his quip.

As expected, the area was crowded but Killian was able to find them some space close enough to the sandbar. The large boat didn't allow him to get as close as some of the smaller boats, like the speedboats and pontoons, but with the raft he had in the cabin, they could easily float over to the sandbar and get out, no swimming required. He dropped anchor and turned on the boat's radio, flipping to a station that played a mix of oldies and current hits. He grabbed the raft from inside the cabin along with a bicycle pump. "I'll do that." Victor volunteered, taking both from him.

"I'll get our lunch in the fridge." Emma said and Ruby followed her into the cabin. Killian paused for a moment, absently scratching Brinkley's head. It felt odd to sit still, something he hadn't done since he child and Liam thought him unable to assist.

"Best spot for sunbathing?" Ruby asked, coming back up.

"Either here or on the bow...the front of the boat." Killian replied and Ruby chose the bow, making her way forward with a beach towel draped over one arm and a bottle of water in the other.

"Sunblock for you." Emma said, holding up a bottle.

"As you wish." He replied, taking the bottle from her and squeezing some of the lotion onto his palms. He rubbed it into his arms and chest before handing the bottle back to her and turning around.

She squirted the sunblock across his shoulders, nimble fingers rubbing it in over his neck, shoulders and down as far as the lotion would stretch. She added more, rubbing it into his lower back and sides, unable to hold in her laughter when her fingers grazed over the ticklish spot under his ribs and he jumped. "Turn around."

Killian compiled and Emma poured a blob of lotion into her hand and smeared it over his cheeks. She covered his nose and forehead before rubbing the remaining lotion into his ears. Killian looked down at her with a soft smile on his face.

"What?" Emma asked.

"You." Killian replied, taking her hands into his. "It's cute when you take care of me."

Emma blushed. "Sunblock is important."

"Aye, I'm well aware. Now are you joining Ruby up there or staying here?" He asked.

"I'll stay here with you." Emma replied, letting go of his hands to spread out her beach towel on the deck of the boat.

Victor finished blowing up the raft and left it near the entrance to the cabin before going to join his girlfriend. Killian spread out another towel next to Emma's and laid down next to her. Brinkley had moved to lay under the captain's chair in the shade. Killian laid there content, under the gentle sway of the boat, sneaking glances over at Emma ever so often. She was on her stomach with her arms stretched in front of her lazily flipping through a magazine. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, a few tendrils had escaped and stuck to the back of her neck in the summer heat.

An hour or more had passed when he heard the footsteps of Ruby and Victor joining them back on deck. "Whew, its hot up there. How cold do you think the bay is?" Ruby asked, fanning herself with a magazine.

"Seventies, I'd assume. " Killian replied. "You can sit on the stern," he pointed to the small landing on the back of the boat "and dip your feet in if you'd like, or we have the raft. With a bit of paddling you should be able to make it to the sandbar and get in there."

Ruby looked to Victor to make a decision, who grabbed the raft. "Come on" he said. "It won't be that cold. Plus standing on the sandbar will be nice." He affixed the rope of the raft around the boat and placed it in the water.

Ruby climbed into it with ease, scooting back until Victor could fit as well. Killian gave them a shove toward the sandbar and the couple used their arms as paddles to make the rest of the short distance.

Emma laughed at Ruby's shriek of cold when her friend climbed off the raft and onto the sandbar. "I'll go with your first option and just dip my feet in." She told Killian.

He nodded and poured the remainder of his water bottle into a bowl for Brinkley, who lapped it up immediately. "Sorry bud, didn't mean to parch you." Killian said to his dog, ducking into the cabin and grabbing another bottle of water from the cooler to pour into the bowl.

He turned back to Emma and found her watching her friends, her arms outstretched behind her. Killian joined her, mimicking her pose. "Cold?" He asked, nodding toward her feet which were stretched out in front of her hovering above the water.

"A little. It's so nice out here. Even with all of the people." She commented.

Kilian agreed. It was rather loud, many of the other boaters had already begun drinking or had brought lots of children with them. The air was full of shouts of glee and splashes of water, kids in inner tubes jumping off the back of the boats or simply diving in instead.

A pontoon boat full of guys who looked to had just become of legal drinking age had found a raft that served as a beer pong table and were in the middle of a heated game.

It wasn't long later Ruby and Victor made their way back to the boat. "I'm starving, where are the sandwiches?" She asked, flipping down on the bench seating.

"We eating out here? I'll grab everything." Emma said, hopping up and going into the cabin.

Killian followed her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and pulling her against him. He pressed a line of kisses against her shoulder. She immediately turned, her arms wrapping around his neck. "Hey." She said, going up on tiptoe to press her lips to his.

His fingers found her hair, tugging gently to angle her head then he took control of the kiss, slanting his lips over hers and sweeping his tongue between her lips. Her body relaxed even further, as though she was melting into his touch, a soft sigh bubbling up in the back of her throat. It would never cease to amaze him, how he managed to still get butterflies in his stomach with every kiss they shared.

"That doesn't look like sandwiches!" Ruby yelled from the deck.

Reluctantly he broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Emma's but didn't pull away completely. Emma growled, removing one of her arms from around his neck. Killian heard Ruby snort. Opening his eyes he found Emma was giving her the finger. He laughed himself, pulling away from Emma and opening the small fridge.

"Apologies lass." He called over his shoulder, pulling out the stack of sandwiches.

Emma grabbed a tray from the seating area and threw a bag of chips on top. Killian added the sandwiches and a container of watermelon. "I'll take that if you want to grab the cooler." He said to Emma.

They sat everything down next to Ruby. "Turkey or ham, chips, watermelon and beer." Emma said, bowing sarcastically.

"A feast for a queen." Victor chimed in.

Ruby sat up straight, sliding her sunglasses into her hair. Tilting her chin, she peered down at all of them. "I suppose it will do. Please, enjoy lunch with your queen." She replied in a stuffy voice.

Emma rolled her eyes, grabbing a sandwich and hip checking Ruby to make room for herself on the bench. They are in silence for a while? Just the sound of crunching chips and glugs from the beer bottles. The scent of Old Bay wafted over to them from a neighboring boat.

"Damn does that smell good." Victor said, taking in a deep inhale.

"It's been too long since we've gotten steamed crabs." Ruby said wistfully.

"I haven't had them at all yet this year." Emma replied, frowning.

Killian looked around; the three of his companions all had their eyes closed taking in deep breaths of the signature seasoning. "I've yet to try them. I've only had crab cakes thus far."

Three sets of eyes flew open looking at him incredulously. "Dude, you don't know what you're missing." Victor said.

"Emma! What the hell is wrong with you? How have you not taken the man to get crabs?" Ruby demanded.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I didn't realize I was designated as the town introducer of steamed crabs." She retorted.

"You're depriving him of a local delicacy!" Ruby replied.

Emma bowed. "My sincerest apologies my queen." Teasing sarcasm laced her voice.

"We need to remedy this right away. What are you guys doing tonight?" Ruby asked.

Killian looked to Emma. They hadn't made any plans past the afternoon on the bay. She met his gaze, confirming there wasn't anything specific they needed to do that evening. He loved that they were able to have silent conversations like that. "Nothing. Where should we go?" He asked

"Crab House. Lemme see if I can get us reservations." Ruby said hopping up and dashing into the cabin where her beach bag and cellphone were stored.

"Billy!" She squealed into the phone, her voice carrying out from the cabin. "I'm awesome, how are you? Yeah, that's great! So I have a friend who has never had steamed crabs." She paused for dramatic effect. "I know! I just found out...there's four of us. Eight? That's perfect, you are my favorite! Thank you! Yeah, we'll see you then."

Returning from the cabin with a blinding grin, Ruby casually commented "Table for four at eight. You're welcome."

"How does she do that?" Killian asked in awe. He knew nearly all of the restaurants didn't take reservations for parties less than six, especially in prime season.

"Bartenders get damn good perks." Victor replied.

"She created drinks for his menu last summer." Emma explained.

"I might have suggested a creamsicle crush could taste even better than the standard orange crush." Ruby said with a shrug.

"And like ten other drinks." Victor replied.

-/-

The restaurant was packed when they arrived, a line of people waiting out on the sidewalk for seating. Ruby ducked inside to find the owner, the others choosing to join the crowd on the sidewalk. Emma's fingers found his. He couldn't help but smile as his eyes locked on their entwined fingers. It was such a simple gesture, a subtle indication of a relationship but it meant the world to him that Emma had chosen to initiate it in such a crowded place. Her shoulder bumped against his, pulling him from his musings.

"Ready for your first crab picking experience?" She asked.

Killian nodded but before he could reply, Ruby appeared at their sides. "Our table is inside. Come on." She said, grabbing Victor's hand and dragging him behind her.

Killian looked at the table covered in craft paper in amusement. It had been cleared of condiment containers, only the shaker of Old Bay remained. A large stack of brown paper towels sat in the corner, a pile of small wooden mallets resting atop it. At the end of the booth a child's sand pail sat on the floor. He slid in next to Emma, Ruby and Victor sitting across from them and waited for the waitress to come over and take their orders.

He and Ruby ordered beer, Victor opted to be the designated driver with Pepsi and Emma asked for a creamsicle crush. "I thought you'd want to taste it." She says by way of explanation.

They didn't have to wait long before a busboy came over with an oversized tray piled high with steamed crabs, the scent of old bay wafting toward them as the busboy dumped the tray onto the table, crabs sliding across the length of it. Killian felt his eyes widened in amusement and heard Emma cover a laugh.

Ruby and Victor dug right in, intending to leave the teaching to Emma. She lifted two crabs, testing their weight before placing one in front of him, the other in front of her.

"First, flip him over. I don't like when they look at me. It's just weird." Emma instructed, exposing the underbelly of the crab. Killian followed. "Now use one of these little legs to lift up this part, the apron, and pull it off."

Killian felt his brow furrow. It felt a bit barbaric to use the sea creatures own leg to rip him open, but he did as Emma said.

"Break off the rest of the legs and the claws at the joint. These are pretty heavy so there should be a decent amount of meat on them." Emma said, cracking off the smaller legs. "I just put my claws to the side and eat them later. Then put your thumb in here" she said pressing her thumb into the opening where the apron had been. "Pull back and you'll rip off the shell."

She paused, waiting for him. "These" she pointed to the gill-looking things "you can't eat. We can them the Devils but they're actually the lungs. Remove them and this squiggly stuff. It's probably intestines but the less I give proper names to it, the more I'm willing to eat it. Then crack the shell in half and squeeze each half together then pull back. Now you can get to all of the meat."

"Don't forget about the mustard." Ruby chimed in and Emma's face scrunched up. "It's this stuff in the corners of the shell," Ruby said swiping her finger inside and pulling out a chunk of yellowish goo. "Yellow and slightly green is safe. Don't eat any other color and never eat a crab that is gray or smells like ammonia."

"I don't like the mustard but you might as well try it." Emma said, waiting.

"A bit barbaric, isn't all of this?" Killian finally asked, hesitantly dipping his finger into the corner of his crab shell. Sticking out his tongue he touched his finger to it then paused for a few seconds before shrugging. "Not bad. Kind of weird."

"You get over it being barbaric eventually." Victor said, shoving a plump hunk of crab meat into his mouth.

Killian nodded, pulling his own chunk of meat out and trying it. It was sweeter than he imagined and more firm than what he had tried in crab cakes.

The table lapsed into silence, the foursome, picking through the crabs at a quick rate. Eventually Killian spoke again. "Probably not the best thing to eat if one were starving. I have a feeling I'm burning more calories than I'm consuming."

Emma and Ruby laughed. "Yeah it's more of a fun thing to eat than a filling meal. Which sucks because they're so pricey but I always have something else after, an app or a sandwich or something." Ruby replied. "You can also order it as a feast which comes with corn, hush puppies and fried chicken. Makes it a hell of a lot more filling. Most of the all you can eat places do that."

When they finished the pile of crabs before them, Victor explained how to hit the claw with the mallet to break it, exposing the even sweeter claw meat. A second round of drinks was ordered, Emma opting to switch to beer. Ruby ordered appetizers for the table, crab dip, a double order of onion rings and an order of hush puppies.

When the food arrived, Ruby slid one of the plates of onion rings directly to Emma. "Now you don't have to share" Ruby teased.

"You shared them with me before." Killian said automatically, wishing he could take it back when Emma's face flamed and Ruby bit back a laugh.

"It was a fluke. Full moon or something. I don't share food often." Emma replied, trying to make a joke of it.

Killian opted to play along. If Emma wanted to discuss it further, they could do it when they were alone. He ducked his head in her direction, bending at the waist as much as the booth would allow. "I am honored that the lady would share her batteries and fried onions with me." He said grandly.

The tension evaporated, Emma shoving her elbow into his side as she laughed.

"I can't believe summer is almost over." Ruby said changing the subject. "It feels like it's flown by quicker than the others. I'm barely even tan."

Emma roller her eyes, holding her paler arm up against Ruby's tanned one. "You're tan."

"Do you know if David has started planning the end of summer party yet?" Ruby asked.

"No. That's usually done by now. I'm surprised Maggie hasn't stormed in and planned it herself yet." Emma replied speaking of David's wife.

"Killian have you been to Smith island?" Victor asked, breaking into the conversation between the two women.

"I haven't. Is it special?" Killian asked.

Victor nodded. "You have to take a ferry to get there. No cars on the island and they make this cake, super thin layers stacked eight high with frosting in between. It's Maryland's state cake. I wanted to take Ruby before it gets cold again. You and Emma want to join us?"

Before Killian could reply Emma nodded enthusiastically. "I've always wanted to go!"

"It's settled then. When are you going? I'll have to let Kris and Anna know." Killian asked.

"Ladies, will Jeff be able to spare you both from the shop one day? It should be less crowded during the week." Victor inquired.

"I don't see why not." Ruby said. "What about two Monday's from today?"

Emma nodded in agreement.

"I can do that." Killian replied.

"Then it's settled. Smith island in two weeks." Victor said.


	31. Chapter 31

Happy Tuesday! Well, that was an interesting start to the second half of the 5th season, huh?

* * *

Chapter 31: Emma

"Hello." Emma called walking into the rental shop at the marina. She expected to find Killian at his usual post in the jet ski shed but it was empty. The rental office was eerily quiet as well and Emma immediately began to wonder what was going on since no one was around. Anna rarely ever left the front of the office unmanned.

"Hello?" She called again a little louder.

"Emma, love?" Killian's voice came from the back of the shop. "Is that you?"

"Yeah." She responded walking toward the counter.

"Come on back and join us. Second door on your left." Killian called and Emma followed the sound of his voice to the office. Standing around a laptop was Kris, Anna and Killian. Emma raised her eyebrows in confusion.

Killian gestured with his hand for her to come around and join them. Doing so, she found out what they were all looking at on the laptop screen.

 _Sandfest 2016!_ The website proclaimed in a bright blue swirled font.

"Uhh.." Emma started to ask but was cut off by Anna.

"Kris we have to enter! Do you remember all of those sandcastles we built when we were kids? There's no way we aren't going to win. I bet we show up all of the other competitors there with our awesome sandcastle building skills. Do you think they give trophies to the winners? Or ribbons? Ribbons are cheaper but they could blow away. It's probably trophies. Maybe they're even in the shape of sandcastles. How cool would that be? A sandcastle shaped trophy for winning a sandcastle competition!? Oh I can just picture it now! Wait, do you think they call it sand-sculpting instead? There's nothing that says we have to make a castle right? I mean, I do want to make a castle, it's not a requirement? " Anna said in a rush.

Kris placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Anna, look at these pictures." He said clicking on a link of previous castles. "Even in the amateur range, we're in way over our heads. Besides, the competition is in two days."

Anna's face fell, her lips pursing into a pout. "Oh. I just thought it could be a lot of fun." She replied in a dejected voice.

Emma found herself catching Killian's eye and tilted her head toward the door. Despite being invited into the room she felt as though they were intruding on a conversation better left to the other couple. Killian nodded but before either of them could take a step forward, Anna lifted her head, her eyes falling on Emma.

"Oh Emma! Hi! I hadn't even realized you came in. What do you think about sandcastles? Have you ever built one? Or built anything in the sand? Or have you gone to the competition in Ocean City before? I know they have some really out of this world ones but kids and families enter. I totally think we could have a chance. Hey, maybe you could join us. Killian too. I'm sure the four of us could create a sandcastle worthy of at least something, right?" Anna shot a line of questions at Emma in rapid-fire pace.

"Oh, uh...well." Emma started. Thinking back to her childhood, she realized she had never built a sandcastle on the beach before. One of her earliest memories was playing in the sandbox in the backyard while her mother hung clothes on the line. Sure she had packed sand into a shaped pail and turned it over, but more times than not her castle collapsed, the sand not being damp enough. She had never cared, preferring to feel the soft granules of sand slide between her toes as she dug her feet in.

"I think we should do it." Killian said, interrupting Emma's thoughts. He turned to Kris. "It can't be that hard can it?"

"Famous last words." Emma said laughing.

"Really?" Anna asked, jumping up. "You'll help Killian? And you too Emma? That's so awesome. Come on Kris, please let me sign us up right now!"

-\\-

"I can't believe I let you sign me up for a sandcastle building competition." Emma said, linking her fingers between Killians, her flip flops in her other hand as they trudged over the sand to where the competition was being held.

"Ah, but I didn't, love. Anna did. And for what it is worth, she talked me into it as well. Although, I supposed Kris shouldn't have bothered trying to discourage her in the first place since he likely knew we'd all end up right here anyway." Killian said, grinning at her.

It was a beautiful day, the usual haze and humidity that lingered on the beach during this time of year had been replaced with a gentle breeze. It was still very hot, the balls of her feet stung as they made their way over the sun-scorched sand. Emma knew if it was this hot mid-morning there was no way she'd make it back to the boardwalk without wearing her shoes through the sand.

They easily found Kris and Anna, Anna jumping up and down waving at them, her auburn hair fastened into a braid; the tail of it bouncing over her shoulder. "So," Anna said when they got close enough. "I think we should go against the traditional castle."

Emma looked at the assortment of pails and pans all in different shapes that could easily lead to one massive castle, should they have enough skill to built it properly. "You'd rather free-form the sand?" Emma asked.

"Not me, Killian. Have you seen his doodles? I know sand isn't like pen and paper but I bet you he's artistic enough to work with it. What do you say Killian?" Anna asked, still bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Emma couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from curving upward when Killian's free hand came to scratch behind his ear, his eyes darting around sheepishly. She had seen random doodles before but thought nothing of them until now. He clearly had a talent for drawing and music so they might as well put one of those talents to use for the competition. "Well, if it's what you think is best…"

"I do! I really do! What do you think about an anchor? I thought it'd be a cute tie-in to the marina." Anna asked, holding out a small notebook and pen to Killian.

He nodded, taking both from her and dropping down into the sand to begin sketching.

Emma sat down next to him. She supposed it probably wasn't the best choice, deciding against the original plan of building a castle and creating something else free-formed entirely only thirty minutes before the competition was supposed to begin, but it wasn't really like they had anything to lose. She looked around at the other competitors, varying from families with young children, teenagers and people their age, to those highly skilled individuals, with carts and totes of supplies, ready to create a masterpiece of sand.

She pulled a bottle of sunblock from her bag, applying a layer to her arms, legs and face. She had an extra dollop on her thumb and without thinking, leaned over and smeared it across Killian's cheek. He dropped the pen in surprise, bright blue eyes looking up at her. Her mouth opened to give some type of apology or excuse, but he shook his head stopping her. Pushing his sunglasses onto his head, he tilted his head back toward the sky and closed his eyes. "Go on love, coat my face with sunblock. I know you'll be restless until you do."

Feeling slightly embarrassed, she spread the lotion over his face and forehead making sure to get the tips of his ears as well.

"Oh sunblock! Thanks for the reminder Emma!" Anna said, grabbing her own bottle from her bag and ordering Kris to sit down until his face was properly coated.

Killian drew for a few minutes more before holding up the small notebook to the group. "What do you think of this?" He asked.

He had drawn a raised mound of sand with an anchor on its side carved into it. A banner was drawn at the bottom, the words "Kris's Marina" swirled in his calligraphy-style cursive. A small starfish was drawn on the bottom right, a sand dollar on the top left. The base of sand had been drawn to show half crescents, as though it a ring of waves circling the anchor.

"Wow." Emma let out of a low breath. "You can make that?"

"I intend to try." Killian replied.

Anna and Kris enthusiastically agreed that it was a perfect design. The foursome waited for the whistle to blow indicating that the sand-sculpting could begin.

Kilian wasted no time instruction everyone as to how they could help. With a yardstick in his hand, Kris drew a large circle around their area then helped Killian to push the sand into a mound. A smaller circle was drawn within the larger one, indicating where the anchor would go. Emma and Anna were put on water and shell duty, filling smaller pails of water that they then dumped into a larger one.

Killian assured them they could take their time looking for shells and that it would take him a decent amount of time to get the anchor sculpted. By the time they returned with a pile of shells, the outline or the anchor had been carved, Killian clearly working much faster than he had anticipated. They took direction from him, adding water to the sand when necessary and replenishing their water supply. Emma watched in awe as he packed and molded the sand, the definitive shape of the anchor becoming evident. When the top of the anchor was complete, she and Anna began smoothing the backside of the mound and forming the wave shapes at the base.

"One hour remaining!" A tinny voice came through the bullhorn. "That's just 60 minutes to go!"

There was a slight mishap where the sand got too dry, a chunk beginning to fall away. Emma immediately began to panic, but Killian instructed Kris to get more water and sat perfectly still not wanting to disturb the rest of the design until the other man returned and Killian was able to moisten and fix that area.

Their ring of waves wasn't perfect but it surrounded the mound of sand, some waves taller and other shorter to look more realistic.

"Thirty minutes left!" The bullhorn sounded.

Killian frowned. "It looks like we're either going to scrap the sand dollar or the starfish. Which one would you rather have?" He asked looking at Anna.

"I can make the sand dollar if you can make the starfish." Emma replied, surprising herself. She didn't have an artistic bone in her body, the waves Anna created looking much more uniform than hers, but she wanted to see the completed product.

The sand dollar was easier to create than she thought, once Killian showed her how wet to get the sand. Granules of sand stuck under her fingernails as she molded it into shape, following around the area with the bottom of a brush to make it stand out more. She knew she couldn't create a three-dimensional look just with the sand like Killian had done with the anchor, but she figured this would help.

With ten minutes remaining they all pitched in to smooth out the sand surrounding their piece of art. Anna placed the shells and driftwood she and Emma had collected around the starfish and sand dollar, making it look like they had just washed up on shore. Kris traced the waves they had created with a piece of driftwood, adding more dimension.

"TIME!" The bullhorn sounded. "Back away from your sculptures!"

"Wow." Anna said in a hushed voice. Emma knew exactly how the other woman felt. She never thought they would be able to create something out of free-forming the sand, but Killian's art skills had helped them all drastically. Sure, it wasn't as eye-catching as the three foot tall castle the couple to their right had built and she was sure the diehard participants had created full-on scenes, but for a group of four people without any real sandcastle building experience, she was damn proud of them.

Ignoring the fact that they were surrounded by people, Emma went up on tiptoe, her arms linking around Killian's neck as she pulled him down to her, kissing him hard. His arms circled around her waist and she could feel a shower of tiny granules of sand sliding down her legs as it brushed from his arms.

"Easy, tiger." He said grinning against her lips. "We're not alone."

Emma felt the blush bloom from her cheeks to her hairline and down her neck. Unwinding her arms from around his neck and dropping back down onto her heels she pressed her forehead into his chest. He released one arm from around her, but held the other loosely there, tucking her against him. She felt the pressure of his lips on the top of her head, the scruff on his chin catching in her hair.

"You did an amazing job." She said quietly.

"As did you, love." He answered sincerely.

The voice on the bullhorn interrupted again, Emma finally feeling like she had returned to her usual color, backed away from Killian. The announcer explained that there were three categories, Experienced, Amateur and Families and there would be a first, second and third place winner for each category. In the next two hours, the judges would make their way past all of the sculptures then would convene to vote and make another round to announce the winners.

They all waited impatiently, Anna doing a line of cartwheels down the beach to expel her nervous energy. Kris watched in amusement, Killian idly sketched on the notepad Anna had given him and Emma organized and reorganized their sculpting supplies three times before checking her watch and realizing only twenty minutes had passed. There was no way they were going to make it for two hours. Most of the other competitors had wandered off as well and Emma decided to follow their lead. "Let's go get lunch." She announced.

The others quickly agreed and they all made their way onto the boardwalk. "Here?" Anna asked, pointing at restaurant in front of them.

"Works for me." Emma replied.

They entered the small restaurant, snagging the last booth in the back. Killian slid into the booth next to her, his arm going around her waist. The waitress dropped off menus in front of them and returned a few minutes later to take their orders.

"A Sweet Caroline for me with beef and unsweet tea." Emma ordered.

Killian ordered a Texas Blue with beef, Anna got a BBQ beef sandwich and Kris a Cuban sandwich. The food arrived quickly and they all dug in, surprised at how hungry sand sculpting had made them. After finishing their food they lingered a little longer knowing they still had some time to return back to the sculptures.

Anna wandered into a nearby store coming out with a new pair of sunglasses and a hat.

Not long after they had returned the judges came back out from under the tent where they had been tallying their votes, hands full of different colored ribbons attached to stakes.

"Ribbons are so lame." Anna muttered under her breath and Emma couldn't help but laugh; until the judge slowed down in front of their sculpture, turning toward them and smiling broadly before bending down and shoving a Second Place ribbon into the sand right in front of their design.

Emma turned to Killian, his eyes blown wide, his lips slightly parted. Anna was jumping up and down in Kris's arms squealing that they had won. "Holy shit." Emma muttered in surprise.

Killian looked down at her, expression dazed. "I'd say. I can't believe we won."

-\\-

"Well, look at that! If it isn't our own second place sand sculptors." Betsy called loudly as Emma and Killian made their way into the crowded breakfast shop.

Killian flushed, waving off her comments. Emma grinned, amused that Killian always liked to point out to her that she was bad at accepting compliments but he wasn't faring much better.

"What are you having? Your usual Emma?" Betsy asked when it was finally their turn to order.

Emma nodded, indicating her usual banana crepe with cinnamon sauce and a hot chocolate would be perfect. "Ham, mushroom and Swiss with a large black coffee, please." Killian said, pulling out his wallet.

Betsy gave an amused look at Killian's wallet before settling her gaze on Emma and fixing her with a pointed look. "Finally letting the man buy you breakfast, I see."

Before either could respond she handed Killian the receipt and waved them along to take care of the growing line of customers behind them.

It wasn't but a few minutes later that a waitress brought over their drinks, quickly followed by Betsy with their breakfast. Betsy now ran the crepe shop with one regular employee throughout the year and then hired on two or three part-time seasonal workers to keep up with the summertime rush. When Emma visited the first time, Betsy had been running the entire operation alone, dashing back and forth from the cash register to the stove. She explained to Emma that in the early days of opening the store, she didn't have seating, simply a pick up window for customers to grab their crepes and go on about their day.

"I haven't seen either of you nearly enough. I know Killian knows how to make hot chocolate the way you like it Emma but I didn't think would run you off." The older woman teased. "Or at least not until after I showed him how to make the cinnamon sauce as well."

"You know I'll be back in full force once the season is order." Emma replied, slicing into the crepe and watching the cinnamon sauce ooze out. "Wait, you'd really give up your cinnamon recipe? Who are you and what did you do with Betsy?"

The other woman waved a hand at her. "I didn't say I'd be posting the recipe on Facebook for the masses. However, I might be persuaded to give it to one of my favorite customers once I'm convinced she'll start showing her face around here more often. Now eat your crepe!"

* * *

The restaurant they went to is Bull on the Beach, 2nd Street & Boardwalk in Ocean City, MD. Just in case you're ever in the area. ;)


	32. Chapter 32

Apologies in advance if this chapter seems rushed or not up to the standards of the others. I've been super busy lately and I don't feel like I'm doing the best writing I could be, but now that the story is moving along so well, I don't want to leave you all waiting while I try to catch up on writing.

* * *

Chapter 32: Killian

"You sing, you play guitar and piano and now you win sandcastle competitions? What else are you keeping from us Jones?" Ruby asked dropping down onto a plastic chair on the top deck of the ferry taking them over to Smith Island.

On the way to Crisfield and while waiting in line for the ferry, Emma had filled Ruby and Victor in on the last minute decision to participate in the sandcastle competition with Kris and Anna and how Killian's freehand design had won them second place in the amateur group.

Killian pulled out a chair for Emma to sit, scooting it in for her once she had sat down. Ruby grinned at them in amusement. "It's not as though I expected to win." Killian countered. "But, there's no other hidden talents I'm keeping from you."

"You sure? You're not secretly a brain surgeon or rocket scientist or something?" Victor joked.

Killian laughed. "Definitely not."

They passed the short trip over to Smith Island with random conversation, Victor told them that they were going to walk around the town of Ewell before having lunch at the Bayside Inn and return back. The ferries between Crisfield and the island didn't run for long. If you weren't off the island by the middle of the afternoon, you had the choice of booking a room at one of the inns or hoping a captain would take mercy on you and make a special trip back across.

"It's very charming." Killian commented to Emma as they made their way onto the docks; the small island town spread out in front of them. Houses dotted the horizon, marshy swamps keeping them from being right on the bay. Fishing and crabbing boats of all sizes filled the waters around them. Herons and pelicans perched royally on old pier pilings.

"It's like going back in time." Emma replied in a half whisper, taking in the town. It was a fascinating combination of history and modern times. Newer and older buildings sat intermixed with each other, golf carts next to bicycles, providing the only transportation for the town.

They made their way to the Smith Island Heritage Center, Killian being drawn to the handmade rocking chairs on the shaded porch. "Those are gorgeous, aren't they?" Ruby asked, her fingers trailing over the woodwork. "I wonder if there is somewhere to order them from."

Inside, they learned about the history of the islands and how the the first inhabitants came to reside there permanently. The islands once had nearly 800 year-round visitors but time had dwindled that number down to less than three hundred. Life-long residents served as government officials and employees, running the center as well as the restaurants and inns. Crabbing was the main source of income and Crisfield even held a crab derby every Labor Day weekend. They watched a film showing the waterman's way of life and listened to local dialect. A group of women were sitting around a long table outside, mounds and mounds of steamed crabs in front of them. They were working their way through the piles, picking out the shells and placing the lumps of meat into plastic containers.

"Well, that at least explains the reason why crab meat is so expensive." Killian said under his breath and Ruby laughed, agreeing with him.

"The containers do say 'hand-picked'. At least we know if we're getting crabmeat from here it's not false advertising." Victor chimed in.

They walked down the street with other tourists and stopped in the Smith Island Baking Company, looking at the thin-layered cakes stacked high and covered with frosting. "I think we need to ship one of these home." Emma said and Killian readily agreed.

Emma filled out the form, choosing the chocolate version of the cake and handed over the cash. The cashier told her it would ship out the next day. It seemed a bit silly to order a cake and have it delivered when they were right there, but they still had more than an hour left on the island and the temperatures were steadily climbing. The cashier confirmed it wasn't unusual at all, even Crisfield locals would order cakes by phone and wait to pick them up when the ferries docked in the afternoon.

Finally they made their way to the Bayside Inn, the largest inn and restaurant in Ewell. They were seated at a table overlooking the bay. Ruby and Victor decided to go with the family style meal, getting a crab cake and soft crab along with clam fritters, ham, salad and slaw, veggies and rolls.

"Do I want to know what a soft crab is?" Killian asked after Ruby had squealed in delight of finding it on the menu.

Emma's face squished up in distaste. "It's a crab that molted it's hard shell. So they catch them before they can grow another one and then just fry the whole thing."

"The same hard crabs that we ate steamed?" Killian asked.

"Yep. If you think ripping off its shell and eating it is a bit barbaric, to me this is worse. Poor crab is just scuttling along after losing his shell and then he gets scooped up and deep fried and you're eating its skeleton. Ick." Emma said unable to keep the disgust off her face.

"You either like them or you don't." Ruby replied. "It's not like a locals vs tourists thing. There are tons of locals who won't get near them with a ten foot pole and others who are chomping at the bits to order them during their season."

Killian nodded in understanding. "I'll pass. A crab cake sandwich is fine with me."

"That's what I'm getting too. And a slice of the cake, of course."Emma replied.

The waitress dropped off their order, refilling their drinks and asking if anything else was needed. They all shook their heads, mouths full of food. Killian couldn't help but sneak a look over at Ruby's plate to see the offending soft-shell crab. In it's deep fried state, it didn't look as bad as he had initially imagined but it was also quite obvious that she was eating a whole crab, legs and all.

Before they all had finished their lunches the waitress returned with the cake for Ruby, Victor and Emma. To Ruby's delight, Emma had offered to share hers with Killian.

"I'm going to have a whole cake waiting for me at home in a few days. I think I can bear to share a slice of it today." Emma had said when Ruby gasped in mock surprise at Emma's choice to share the slice with Killian.

His fork slide easily between the thin layers and frosting, the cake was light and airy and not a bit dense. Scooping up an extra dab of frosting he brought the bite to his lips, noticing that Emma had been watching him instead of eating her own bite instead. Lips parted, he slid the cake into his mouth, the rich chocolate flavor bursting on his tongue. "Do you like it?" Emma asked.

"It's delicious. Now have a bit before I eat the whole slice." Killian replied, tapping his fork against hers.

Once the bill was paid Victor suggested that they walk around the island a bit more to work off the calories they had just consumed so they wouldn't be uncomfortably full on the ferry ride back over to Crisfield.

They wandered through the small town, looking at the architectural designs on houses, stopping to take pictures near the water and with the Smith Island sign. They went into the post office and bought a few local stamps and then into the grocery store which also sold souvenirs. Emma found a magnet shaped like a slice of cake with the island's name on it and Killian found a dog toy printed with it as well. Purchases made, they made their way through the residential streets, stopping and saying chatting with all of the friendly locals that engaged them in conversation.

"Don't we need to hurry up and get back to the ferry?" Killian asked looking at his watch. They had less than thirty minutes before it was set to depart.

"Actually, I have a surprise. We're not going to take the public ferry back over to Crisfield. I rented a private boat for us." Victor said looking sheepish at the sharp look Ruby threw his way.

"Why?" Ruby asked immediately.

"I didn't want to rush us getting back. I wasn't sure if we'd want to see Tylerton or stay here in Ewell and with only two and a half hours, I didn't want to wish we had more time. We can head over to the marina now and decide what to do." Victor replied.

The marina was crowded with fishermen and tourists. They made their way down the docks to almost the very last slip. A mid-sized boat swayed in the gentle waves of the bay. An older man wearing a captain's hat and dark sunglasses greeted them.

They boarded the small boat and decided not to visit Tylerton since it would be more of a hassle for their captain who shook his head and claimed it was no trouble at all. He introduced himself as John and said that instead, he would take them on a large loop around the island so at least they could see all of it from the bay and then he would take them back to the marina in Crisfield.

John navigated them around the back side of the island, showing them where some of the previously bay-front houses had succumbed to mother nature and her relentless pounding against the shores of the island, dilapidated houses and piers now fully submerged in the bay, one large storm away from collapsing and washing debris onto the mainland shores. Emma snapped a bunch of pictures with her phone, getting one where an egret became annoyed with their presence and took off in flight, white wings spread wide. He pointed out one of the inns in Tylerton and some of the houses of friends and family he knew on that side of the island.

Killian found himself content to not be responsible for the boating, sitting back and listening to the tales their captain told them about the area and its rich history. He sat with Emma on one of the boats bench seating his, arm wrapped loosely around her waist. As they cut through the waves, Emma rested on her head on his shoulder, unable to fight off a yawn.

"Tired, are we?" he asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"A bit. Sunshine and walking will do that do you." She commented, not moving her head from his shoulder.

Killian let his eyes slide closed too, taking in the beautiful day with his other senses. The hot summer sun beat down on his skin, the salty sea air clung to his lips and nostrils, the chatter of birds barely able to be heard over the boat crashing through the waves.

He barely registered the sound of Victor's voice asking John to stop the boat. Confused, Killian's eyes shot open. Emma's did as well but she didn't ask any questions. Ruby looked curiously between Victor and their captain wondering what was going on as the boat came to a stop, the monotonous sound of the engine rumbling now replaced with the gentle lapping of the waves against the boat and the squawks of the seagulls ahead.

John moved to the inside of the cabin, muttering something about needing to grab something. Victor sat back down next to Ruby, his fingers trembling slightly and Killian immediately knew what was going to happen. Not wanting to ruin Victor's plan, he fought hard to keep the smile from creeping onto his lips, instead choosing to play with a strand of Emma's hair, rubbing the blonde tresses between his fingers.

"I thought this would be a pretty place to stop." Victor started, gesturing around them with his hand. In the distance in front of them was the Somers Cove lighthouse. The buildings and homes on the mainland dotted the horizon in front, the marshy waters of the island behind him.

"But why-" Emma started, before Killian gently pressed his pointer finger against his lips.

"Shh, love. Just wait." He whispered in her ear.

"It's pretty." Ruby said confused. "But it's the middle of the bay…"

Victor laughed. "It is. We had a great day today, with friends." He said, looking at Ruby but nodding in the direction of Killian and Emma. "I've been thinking about this for a while and trying to figure out where I should do it and today just seemed right. It's a quaint and beautiful town."

"Thinking about what for a while?" Ruby asked and Killian had to stop himself from laughing. From her expression she clearly had no idea what was able to happen and it appeared Emma didn't either. Both women looked completely clueless.

"Ruby, you're a great person and an even better girlfriend. I love spending time with you. You're beautiful and smart and I sometimes wonder why in the world you're with me. I know we haven't talked about it before and I could be completely off base here that it's even an option for you, but I was hoping you would do the honor of becoming my wife. Will you marry me?" Victor asked, sliding down to the deck on one knee and pulling a velvet box from his pocket.

Beside him, Killian felt Emma's entire body freeze as she processed the words. Her entire body held rigid, her breathing was shallow but her face conveyed the happiness she felt for her friend. A soft smile grazed her lips, her eyes a little shinier than usual.

Realizing he hadn't heard a response, Killian's eyes swung back in the direction of Ruby and Victor. Ruby had one hand resting on Victor's knee, the other caught halfway to her mouth, which was open. Her lips moved as though she was trying to speak but no sound came out. Finally her hand reached her mouth, the contact startling her back into the present. On a gasping inhale of breath she yelled "yes!" throwing her arms around Victor's neck.

Victor's arms went around her waist, lifting her up and spinning her around as she peppered his face with kisses. Eventually he lowered her back down to the ground and stepped back, holding out the velvet box between them again.

Emma inhaled deeply as Victor gently pulled the ring from its spot and slid it onto the ring finger of Ruby's left hand. Ruby grabbed him again, pulling his face to hers for another kiss.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that. Did you have any idea, love?" Killian asked, whispering in Emma's ear to avoid interrupting the newly engaged couple.

He felt Emma's body finally relax against his, her fingers coming to rest on top of his. "No idea at all. I don't think Ruby was even expecting it. They've only talked about marriage once or twice."

"Really? Now that's a surprise. Most men wouldn't even consider the idea of proposing unless they knew the woman they were with was a proponent of marriage." Killian replied, surprised.

"As far as I know, they had talked about it in passing but there was no deadline, no rush or anything. I'm surprised but I'm so happy for them." Emma said.

Their captain came back on deck, carrying a bucket with champagne and plastic glasses. He opened the bottle and topped them all off, apologizing for using plastic instead of glass but Ruby waved him off saying she completely understood. The couples and their captain cheers'd to love and happy marriages, everyone downing the champagne as though it were a shot.

Ruby sat her glass down, finally breaking away from Victor and wrapped her arms around Emma instead, who returned the hug. "I can't believe I'm getting married! Did you have any idea he was going to do this?" Ruby asked.

"None. It was just as much of a surprise to Killian and I as it was to you." Emma replied honestly.

Victor stepped toward them, but turned toward Killian who held out his hand. Victor took it. "Congratulations!" Killian said, grinning at the other man.

"Thank you. I hope you don't mind that I chose to do it when you and Emma were around. I just know that Ruby thinks of Emma as family and I thought it would be great to have you both here for it." Victor said.

"Of course I don't mind!" Killian replied, laughing.

-\\-

"Can you stay tonight?" Emma asked after Ruby and Victor dropped them off at Killian's truck.

"I'll have to pick up Brinkley." Killian replied.

"That's fine. I just…" Emma started then trailed off.

"Can't bear the thought of not spending an evening with a man as dashingly handsome as myself and a dog as wonderful as Brinkley?" Killian asked teasingly. He could sense there was more to Emma's mood and her request for him to stay but knew that her hesitation to provide him a reason was likely because she hadn't worked it out into words in her own mind yet.

She laughed. "Your ego knows no bounds."

-\\-

He had barely managed to unclip Brinkey's leash from his collar after his final walk for the night when Emma had pounced on him, her arms wrapping around him under his shirt, nails pressing into his skin as her lips found the underside of his jaw.

"Goodnight Brinkley." He told his dog, before sliding his hands around to her bottom, lifting her up. Her thighs clenched around his waist, her arms wrapped around his neck as he carried her back to her bedroom, shutting the door behind them.

She unwound her legs from around him, fingers grasping the hem of his t-shirt and pulling it up and over his head before finding the buckle of his belt. Killian placed his hand on top of hers, stilling her movements. "What's the rush love?" He asked, trying to understand her frantic pace.

Emma groaned, pulling her hand away and yanking off her own shirt. Killian faltered at the sight of her sun-kissed skin, her breasts only covered by seafoam green lace that matched the color of her eyes. She stepped forward again, hand cupping the back of his neck to pull him in for a searing kiss. "I want you." She murmured hotly into his ear, the warmth of her breath causing goosebumps to erupt over his flesh.

Her teeth nibbled at his earlobe, her fingers making their way back to his belt buckle. He didn't stop her that time, instead choosing to run his hands up and down her sides before reaching back and unclasping the lace that covered her. Finally haveing won the battle against his buckle, she unbuttoned his shorts and pushed them down, boxer briefs going with it. She grabbed one of his hands that was tracing goosebump-inducing nonsense into his skin and directed it to the button on her shorts. He popped the button through and Emma pulled back. Confused, he reached out toward her but she pushed down the remainder of her clothing and stepped back into his space, dropping to her knees.

Her fingers caressed his thighs, coming dangerously close to where he needed her to touch him the most. Finally her nimble fingers slide over his length and he felt her hot breath at his hipbone. "Bloody hell, Emma." He muttered through clenched teeth as she worked him with her hand.

His hips jerked forward when she replaced her hand with her mouth, his fingers tangling in her hair, needing to touch her in some way. "Love, I'd rather-"

"Hmm?" She hummed around him, the sensation making his hips jerk again. She repeated the action along with a combination of her mouth and hand that was driving him crazy.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. "Ladies first." He finally managed to say.

She pulled back, looking up at him through hooded eyelashes. "Not this time." She replied with a smirk, waiting only a beat before returning to her previous ministrations.


	33. Chapter 33

Sorry for the delay in posting! Tuesday came and went so quickly I barely even registered what day it was!

Chapter 33: Emma

Moonlight filtered in through the blinds of her bedroom window illuminating the room just enough that she could make out his profile in the dark. The central air clicked on, a gentle rumbling noise carrying through the silence of her cottage. Nails click-clacked across the floor indicating that Brinkley had gotten up for a drink.

Her body was tired from all of the walking they had done earlier and she should have been sated and easily able to sleep but she was not. Anxiety prickled just under the surface of her skin. Her fingers drummed a senseless beat, her foot occasionally tapping in rhythm into sheets as though she could physically dispel the nervous energy flowing through her veins.

She knew he wasn't asleep; his breathing hadn't evened out and he hadn't curled into her side, roughened fingertips skimming over her skin.

"I can't sleep." She whispered into the darkness.

"Mmm. You do wonders for a man's ego, love." He teased, stretching has hand across the short distance that separated them and finding hers. His voice was rough and low, the implication that their earlier activities should have tired her out obvious.

For a brief moment her mind wandered back to earlier in the evening. He allowed her to finish what she had started, his hand cupping the back of her neck in encouragement. She had steered him toward the bed but hadn't allowed him to lie down. She simply wanted something to him to fall back onto when she was done driving him crazy.

And he had, pulling her onto the bed with him, positioning her above his mouth as he returned the favor. Repeatedly. "Four is acceptable." He had said, voice laden with desire and a hint of satisfaction.

Her thighs were trembling, unable to hold her weight, when he had parted them and lined himself up at her entrance. He had captured her mouth in a searing kiss taking back whatever breath she had managed to regain before pressing forward and then it was a flurry of movements; her hips bucking up into his, the way his back muscles rippled under her touch, the scent of his skin as she nipped at his neck, urging him on.

"Shall I thoroughly ravish you again?" He asked, darkly, the timbre of his voice only further reminding her of earlier. " Or are we going to the beach?"

"The beach." She replied immediately, then winced wondering how he would take it. She hadn't hesitated for even a moment before making her decision.

He chuckled. "It's fine Emma. While I know you find me completely irresistible, I understand if you are to need distractions other than my body at times."

Her racing heart slowed down a fraction at the first whiff of salty, sea air. The night was balmy but the humidity cling in the air, coating everything in a fine sheen of moisture. The first strings of tension snapped as her toes sunk into the chilled night sand. Mindlessly, she flexed them as she walked, feeling the soft sand bend and clump against her weight. Focusing on the ocean she took in a deep breath and released it, closing her eyes and feeling the anxiety flow from her body. She let out a deep breath, finally feeling grounded again.

"Perhaps I should invest in some oceanfront property so you always have the opportunity to do this." Killian whispered, standing next to her.

Her lips quirked up, not at his words, but at the hushed sound of his voice. She had never mentioned it to him, but he had never spoken at full volume on the beach and neither did she. A habit she had developed from a silly thought once; that the sea would no longer be able to soothe her if she interrupted the silence of the night. She knew it was illogical and instead should be quiet to avoid drawing attention to her presence when on a beach with restricted hours, but the thought had stuck and she'd never been able to break from it.

Turning to Killian she rolled her eyes. "Oceanfront real estate doesn't come cheap."

"Aye, love. I wasn't born yesterday. But if it were to provide you comfort, I'm sure it'd be worth the expense." He replied softly.

She pulled him toward her by grabbing his free hand, the other carrying a blanket for them to sit on that he had yet to put down. Sliding her arms around his neck. Emma pressed her lips gently to his. "That's sweet."

"I am a gentleman, after all." He replied, ducking his head to kiss her again.

The combination of Killian and the sea was more relaxing than she had anticipated. Anxiety no longer prickled under her skin, her mind wasn't racing with thoughts and she felt as though she could simply be. She helped him spread out the blanket, dropping down onto it by his side. His arm snaked around her waist.

"Do you feel better, love? Being here?" He asked.

"Yeah. It helps that you're here too." She admitted, wanting him to know how much he meant to her.

Even in the moonlight she could see his cheeks and the tips of his ears turn pink at her compliment. He smiled a half smile, shaking his head as though he didn't believe her or was unwilling to accept her words as the truth.

Emma scooted closer, resting her head on his shoulder. Her nose nudged against his neck, inhaling in the scent that was uniquely Killian. "I'm serious, Killian. I've never had anyone like you before." The words weren't enough; she couldn't find the right ones to explain how much she appreciated him but she hoped that he would understand.

Killian pressed a kiss into her hair. "Aye love, I've never had anyone like you before either."

"Not even your brother?" She asked, knowing how close they had been but hesitant to bring up the topic.

"We were close, of course and I knew that he always had my back so to speak, but there's a connection between us love, kindred spirits or such that I've never had with anyone else." Killian explained.

Emma nodded pushing closer to press her lips against his neck. "I know what you mean."

They remained silent for some time, Emma focusing on the warmth of killian's embrace and the soothing sound of the waves lapping against the shore to further relax her. She could almost drift off to sleep like that, her eyes closing subconsciously.

"Do you want to talk about why we're here?" Killian mumbled, his lips pressed to the top of her head.

"Mmm." Emma replied snuggling closer to him. "You already know." They hadn't discussed it but from the way he looked at her when he agreed to stay the night she knew he wasn't oblivious.

"Ruby and Victor's engagement has left you uneasy but I don't know what has caused the unease." He responded.

She pulled away slightly, readjusting herself to look out at the ocean. "I don't know exactly. It was a huge surprise and a big change."

Killian didn't reply, knowing she had more to say. His fingers traced the length of her spine, swirling nonsense into her skin.

"She's the only person I know to get married. I mean, everyone else I know here has either been single or married since I got here. It's stupid but it's like I just realized that people my age are old enough to be married and that's kind of what you do in your late twenties. You date, you get married, you buy a house and have some kids and I'm just...just…" Emma trailed off not knowing how to put her emotions into words.

"Overwhelmed that someone you know has made the first step?" Killian asked.

"And worried. I don't know what's going to change." Emma said, twisting her fingers together.

"And?" Killian prompted.

Emma hesitated. It was too much. She knew her thoughts were illogical but it didn't change how she felt. She wasn't able to refer to Killian as her boyfriend. They hadn't discussed whatever it was they were doing together since the night Emma had let him know she wanted to be with him. And now her brain was creating crazy scenarios where now she had to get married. "I feel pressured that I have to also."

"Has anyone told you that?" He asked knowing the answer was no.

"No. It's all in my head. It's like I finally realized I'm an adult and I have to do all these adult things now. And I'm not ready. I didn't have dream weddings as a kid. I'd probably be a terrible wife. People get married to have kids and I can't even do that. Who wants a wife that can't have children?" Emma asked, her voice catching at the end.

Until the words fell from her lips she hadn't realized where her fears stemmed from. Not one to follow tradition or even believe that the purpose of marriage was to have children, she had no idea where these feelings were coming from.

"Emma." He said softly and she froze, all the panicked thoughts coming to an abrupt halt in her mind.

Without realizing it she had scooted further and further away from him, subconsciously putting up her walls and creating distance between them. His hand was outstretched in her direction. Her wild thoughts and emotions had let her metaphorically drift out to sea. His hand represented the lifeline, something to bring her back to shore. Her hand shot out to his, squeezing his fingers hard.

"Come here." He said, softly, patiently as though he were trying to coax a skittish animal to him.

She moved toward him, allowing him to press her against his chest. Her fingers gripped the soft material of his shirt, inhaling deeply through her nose at the familiar scent, trying to ground herself.

"You would not be a terrible wife. Quite the opposite. And I can assure you love, there are many men out there who would marry you. I'm just lucky to have met you before one of them swept you away. Children aren't everything either. There are other options as well." Killian said, rubbing her back.

"What do you want? In the future I mean?" Emma brought herself to ask even though she was terrified to know the answer. A fresh wave of anxiety rolled over her, a sheen of old sweat breaking out over her skin.

"I want to be happy most of all. I want to remain by the water, perhaps buy a house to have some real roots. I'd like another dog, but Brinkley would never go for that. I'd love to have a beautiful, smart and strong woman to share my life with, but it matters not to me if we simply cohabitate or if we have a document stating our commitment to each other." Killian answered, pulling back to look at her so she look into his eyes and see if he was being honest or not.

"And kids?" Emma whispered, swallowing hard. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. There was a lump lodged in her throat making it hard to swallow or even breathe.

"I'm not sure. Right now? I'm not ready for them at this stage in my life. I don't know if that will change. But if the woman I was with didn't want them or couldn't have them, I would never hold it against her or leave her. Children aren't a deal breaker to me." Killian replied.

"There's something you're not saying." Emma replied. He wasn't lying, she could sense that much but he was holding something back as well.

Killian sighed. "I don't wish to scare you away, love. But if we were together and you wanted a child or many children, I would never deny you that. Fostering or adoption is perfectly fine with me, as is a surrogate if you wanted a biological child. Forgive me love if that is impossible, as I don't know how invasive your hysterectomy was."

Emma's eyes widened, her eyebrows raising. She knew Killian cared for her, but she never imagined it was to the degree that he would be okay with any of those options. "Really?" She asked in a small voice.

He fingers tilted her chin up to meet her eyes again. "Yes, love."

Her heart raced for a different reason; the lump in her throat changing its purpose as well. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. Emma felt an overwhelming desire to cry; to throw her arms around Killian and cry until there were no tears left. But not out of sadness or fear, but an odd combination of happiness and shock that she had someone in front of her that cared about her that much.

 _This is awfully serious for someone who can't even put labels on relationships_ her brain reminded her but she pushed the thought away.

"Let's sit." Killian said, tugging her down onto the blanket with him.

She immediately curled into his side, sighing happily when his lips pressed against her temple. Her fingers found his and she squeezed, trying to convey her content. They both stared out at the expanse of the ocean, watching the waves roll in and be pulled back out, getting lost in the monotony.

When her eyes grew heavy she yawned, pressing the back of their entwined hands to her mouth. "Bed?"

He gave her a devilish wink, swooping her and the blanket up in his arms bridal style. Her arms wrapped around his neck for support. She let him carry her across the sand and up the wooden ramp to the boardwalk.

"Put me down." She demanded, amused.

He regarded her indifferently. "Perhaps I don't want to."

"You can't open the door of your truck like this." She countered.

His eyebrows raised in challenge. "Oh love, now I must prove you wrong."

She debated on protesting but he hadn't shifted her body weight or showed any outward signs this was even mildly strenuous to him. Her hands tightened around his neck, settling in. She let out a mock sigh. "Fine."

Killian strode down the rest of the boardwalk and into the parking lot where his truck was parked. He shifted get slightly to pull the keys from his pocket, then unlocked the door and placed her on the bench seat, stepping back and bowing with a flourish fit for the Middle Ages. "Mi'lady."

"How?" Emma spluttered, when he crossed in front of the truck and got into the driver's seat. "You acted like I weigh nothing."

"You don't." Killian replied. "You probably weigh less than Brinkley."

"And you frequently carry around your full-grown golden retriever bridal style?" Emma asked in amusement.

"Ah, love I can't believe I've never told you this story. See, Brinkley's obedience class was on the second floor of a commercial building. I don't know why. However, someone is afraid of stairs and the elevator was typically out of service. So I'd carry him to class, twice a week and then back down again." Killian explained.

"And you never once thought to mention this to the trainer to see if there was anything to be done? Instead you hauled a hundred and some pounds of dog up a flight of steps multiple times a week?" Emma asked incredulously.

Killian looked sheepish, his fingers scratching behind his ear. "Well, I didn't want to force him into something that terrified him."

Emma's heart swelled with desire. The man's inability to put his dog in a scary situation, no matter how illogical, was no doubt the strangest thing she'd ever found to be a turn on. "Drive back to my place ." She commanded.

Killian gave her an odd look but complied, starting the truck and easing out onto the road. Emma had never been more glad at her proximity to the beach. Her patience was at an all-time low. Killian had barely finished pulling into her driveway before she was unbuckling her seatbelt and sliding across the bench seat to him, climbing onto his lap.

"Uh, love?" He asked, unsure.

Her fingers came up to cup both sides of his face, pushing her lips roughly against his. He didn't respond quickly enough for her so she bit at his bottom lip. He caught up then, hands resting on her waist, lips parted to return the urgency of her kiss.

Her fingers moved to his hair, tugging the strands as she kissed him harder. She raised her hips and scooted closer, pressing herself as close against him as possible. There were too many clothes, too many barriers. She just wanted him.

Frustrated, Emma moved her hands to the hem of his shirt, pulling it upward. Killian broke the kiss and removed his hands, holding them up so she could pull the shirt over his head.

"Don't you want to continue this inside, love?" He asked as her fingers fumbled at his belt.

"No. Here is fine." Emma replied, clumsy fingers finally undoing his belt buckle. She made quick work of the button and zipper, tugging the fabric to get him to lift his hips.

He complied, but halted her movements, gathering her hands in his. "Wait."

"Why?" She nearly whined. In other circumstances she would be embarrassed by her behavior but at that moment all she wanted was him and he wasn't keeping up like she needed.

Killian released her hands and pulled off her tank top. Fingers slid around her back to unclasped her bra, his mouth immediately moving to press open mouth kisses against her exposed flesh.

His mouth closed over her nipple, her back arched as her hips raised grinding against him. He made a noise caught between a growl and a groan which only spurred her on more. She rolled her hips up into his, moaning as she felt him grow against her.

"More." She demanded, directly his hands to the waistband of her cloth sleep shorts.

Killian twisted them to the right and leaned forward, Emma bending backward to lie across the bench seat. The seatbelt buckle poked at her ribs but his mouth latched back on her nipple, rendering the inconvenience at her ribs an afterthought.

Never breaking the ministrations with his mouth, Killian's fingers slid under the waistband of her shorts and pulled them down. His lips pulled away then, stopping the swirls of tongue, and moving to kiss and suckle the sensitive underside of her breast; the scruff on his chin teasing her.

He slid lower, pressing kisses against her stomach until he could settle between her splayed thighs.

"I don't…" Emma started, abruptly cut off as his tongue came in contact with her overheated flesh.

"Christ, Emma. You're so bloody wet." He murmured against her skin, blue eyes darkened and hooded with desire looked at her over the flat expanse of her stomach.

"I was trying to tell you I don't need that, I just need you." Emma finally managed to tell him.

"I disagree. I think you need both." He replied, ducking his head and pleasuring her with his tongue.

Desire pulsed through her veins. She felt dizzy with the sensations, her heart pounding so loud she thought he could hear it. She felt herself get close to crashing over the edge, her thighs shaking around his head. Her fingers slid to his head, taking through his hair. "Please." She whined, wanting him to push her over the edge so he could join her in the next one.

He slowed down slightly and pulled back. Emma was about to protest when he slid two fingers in her entrance and returned his mouth to her swollen nub. His mouth and fingers worked together, drawing her higher and higher. A sheen of sweat broke out on her skin, her toes curling and then everything went hazy as she crashed over the edge, only able to hear the buzzing in her ears and vaguely aware of the incoherent words falling from her lips.

His fingers and tongue slowed but didn't stop, drawing out every ounces of pleasure from her. Only once she had stopped panting did he pick up the pace, curling his fingers to find that nearly mythical place inside that made stars explode behind her eyes. She couldn't stop her hips from bucking up as the pleasure intensified. His fingers increased their pace, rubbing against that spot with each thrust. His mouth did the opposite, tongue stroking her at an almost leisurely pace. Her second orgasm came out of nowhere, a long moan falling from her lips, her fingers tugging his hair. He slowly withdrew his fingers, tongue only stopping when her hips jumped at the contact of her overly sensitized flesh.

Emma laid there a minute, trying to catch her breath and wondering just how he had turned the tables on her. She had intended to pull down her own shorts once she was on his lap and sink down on him, foreplay not needed. Yet he had just given her two incredible orgasms, her thighs still shaking so much she wasn't sure she could even bear her weight to get into his lap.

"That wasn't necessary." She said, finally regaining some control.

"It was only two." Killian countered, blue eyes still darkened with desire.

"Yes, but there was four earlier so I would have been fine with just one during sex, which we still haven't even got to because my legs feel like jello," Emma replied, knowing her admission would only boost his ego but she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.

He had the nerve to wink at her. "One? But that's boring."

"You know you're putting the rest of your sex to shame right?" Emma retorted thinking of the few guys she had been with before Walsh and his none of them even came close to comparing what it was like with Killian.

Killian shrugged. "Perhaps it's an American thing for your men to be complete shit in bed, but I assure you my brother made it perfectly clear that an Irish gentleman is never to leave a lady wanting."

Finally feeling as though her legs could support her weight, Emma sat up and leaned toward him. "But I _do_ still want." She said with a smirk, caressing him through the boxer briefs he still wore.

"Bloody hell woman. You're insatiable. I was hoping to get you into the house for the final act." Killian grumbled, hips automatically flexing upward at her touch.

"Why? Something the matter with having sex in your truck?" Emma asked.

"Vehicle sex is rushed and for teenagers. You deserve to be cherished which is hard to do in limited space." Killian replied, despite the fact that he lifted his hips for her to pull down his last bit of clothing.

Emma swung her leg over his, rubbing her wetness over him. "I'm feeling _very cherished._ Now I just need you inside me. Or can you not handle it?" She smirked.

His eyebrow quirked up, lips curling into a predatory grin as his right hand came to rest on her waist, his left holding himself steady for her to join them. "Oh, love. I can handle it."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Killian

The sky is a brilliant shade of blue dotted with fluffy white clouds. The sun is high upon her perch, rays of warmth beating down upon them. A gentle breeze filters through the dunes, the tall beach grass bending and swaying. The ocean laps gently at the shore, lazily rolling her waves in and out with the pull of the tides. White painted wooden chairs are set in a line of smoothed patches of sand. Green tulle that matches the shade of Emma's eyes is drapes along the backs of the chairs, a white starfish dangling from each dip. In front of the chairs is a white arch, adorned with white tulle and twinkle lights despite the sunshine. Starfish and sand dollars are interspersed between the layers of tulle.

He stands beyond all of it, close enough to the ocean that she nearly laps at his feet, even though he is wearing shoes. He fidgets with the cuff off his shirt, the watch on his wrist, the unruly lock of hair that keeps coming free and grazing his forehead.

The chairs are filled with familiar faces; Ruby and Victor, David and Maggie, Kris and Anna, Betsy and even Rita from the Chamber of Commerce. And then she appears, blonde hair fastened into a braid that wraps around her head and disappears into a bun of curls. A tropical flower is secured behind one ear. The dress is simple, barely a step above a casual sundress but she is radiant and beautiful. His heart pounds in his chest at the sight of her.

Something doesn't feel right. The sight before him doesn't make sense. As he takes in the details he realizes that there is a blurry edge to everything he is seeing. The colors are a little too bright, the lack of noise except for the ocean a little too obvious. And then there is an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. Longing and sadness but more importantly, an overwhelming feeling that something is missing. He turns his face toward the ocean, squinting as the sun reflects off the water, hoping she will make him remember.

And then it is obvious, with gut-wrenching clarity the pain of loss flows through him, nearly knocking him to his knees. The other guests vanish in a swirl of colors in his mind and then there is just Emma left. She hasn't seen him yet, he doesn't know how it is possible because they are the only two people on the beach but he's backing away almost subconsciously until there is distance between them. He turns to run away from her, something he never imagined he would do.

He doesn't go far down the beach, only to where the dunes extend further toward the ocean, allowing him to duck behind them and drop down to his knees, out of view from the chairs and the arch. And Emma, if she is even still there. He drops his head to his knees, closing his eyes to block out the outside world.

 _You're dreaming within a dream._ Liam says calmly.

 _I assumed as much. How are you here?_ Killian replies.

 _Just because you can't see me doesn't mean I'm not here Killian._ His brother responded.

 _But you should be here._ Killian argues stubbornly. _However you're just a manifestation of my grief, an image of you drawn up by my subconscious. I know this, yet I can still see you. This isn't fair you know._

 _Aye brother, I know. Not a moment goes by that I don't wish we still graced the same planes of this existence._ Liam replies.

 _How am I supposed to do this without you?_ Killian asks.

 _Do what?_ Liam asks gently.

 _Live! Go on! Have important events in my life!_ Killian yells angrily.

Liam sighs. _You're stronger than you think you are Killian. You thought Emma was such an amazing person for going through what she did; why can't you think you are strong as well? You have Brinkley, you moved to a new town and you're making a life for yourself. You're no longer alone, dear brother. You have Emma. Have you told her yet?_ Liam asks.

 _Told her what?_ Killian runs his hand over his face.

 _That you love her._ His brother replies as though the question were obviously.

 _I don't...I haven't...I may have strong feelings for Emma but we are hardly in the right stage in our relationship for me to go professing those feelings for her._ Killian explains. _Events from her past have made her wary about defining relationships. Declarations of emotions would not go over well._

 _Then why are you dreaming of marrying her?_ Liam questions.

Killian falters. _I, what?_ The images from earlier begin to click together in his brain, the white chairs filled with guests, the decorated arch, the white dress she wore.

 _You're in a suit. She's in a white dress on the beach. I'd wager marriage is where what thought was going. If it's too soon to think of such things, why do you think you're dreaming it?_ His brother asks.

 _I don't know. Perhaps it is because her friend just got engaged. It was a big surprise for Emma. Well, for Ruby as well. According to Emma it hadn't been something that Ruby and her fiance Victor had discussed in length. He proposed with us there, we visited an island here. I knew it had affected Emma by the way she reacted. I stayed with her that night and she was very restless. The beach calms here. We went and had a rather serious conversation for someone unwilling to call me her boyfriend. She feels pressured that she will need to get married because her friend is and it brought up some other issues she is dealing with. She doesn't believe a man would want to marry her because she cannot bear children. We talked about it abstractly, I didn't wish to scare her off but I suppose it was all on my mind._ Killian replies.

 _What did you tell her?_ Liam questions him.

 _That she would make any man a fine wife. That children aren't everything and that there are other options._ Killian answers.

 _But you do love her and would marry her?_ Liam confirms.

There is no hesitation. _Yes. I would._ The words fall from his lips easily without a second thought. _I wish you could meet her._ Killian says, raising his head to look at his brother.

 _Aye, brother as do I. I think I would like her._ Liam smirks for a moment but then his face falls solemnly.Y _ou know that I'll be there on your wedding day. I wouldn't miss it for the world._

 _Liam, I'm not daft. I'm conversing with you in a dream of a dream. How could you possibly be there for an event where I will be very much awake? Especially one where there is no guarantee it should ever happenen, much less an actual date for you to look forward to._ Killian asks.

Liam's brow furrows, his lips pulling downward for a moment then a smile graces his features again as though he has come up with an idea. _Dolphins._ He points out to the ocean and Killian follows with his eyes to see the fins of two dolphins coming up over the waves. _I can't explain more than that, but you'll know._

A series of loud barks registered through the sleepy fog of Killian's brain, pulling him back to consciousness. His eyes fluttered open as he shot straight up in bed. Brinkley stood next to the bed beside him, eyes raised at his master to see if another bark was warranted. Killian absently patted the top of the dog's head while shaking his own. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the overlapping dreams. It came back to him slowly, a wedding on the beach and then the conversation he had with his brother about Emma and their relationship. "What the bloody hell?" He asked aloud, trying to make sense of what his subconscious had conjured.

Brinkley barked again, tilting his head slightly to give Killian a curious look.

"What? Was I talking in my sleep? You growl in yours, you know." He told the dog.

Brinkley stared at him intently, remaining quiet.

"I'm fine! It was a weird dream is all." Killian found himself defending his actions to his dog.

With a snort, Brinkley held Killian's gaze a moment longer before trotting out of the room, tail swishing.

Killian shook his head again, running his fingers through his hair. "That was a crazy dream."

Knowing sleep would elude him, Killian made his way to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. He shuffled into the living room and sank down on the couch, flipping on the television. He flipped through a vast array of infomercials trying to convince his sleep-ridden brain to purchase exercise equipment, the best pillows ever and a new leash for Brinkley. The pillows near did him in until he realized he'd need to walk back into the bedroom to grab his wallet from the dresser.

Flipping through a few more channels his brain registered a familiar sight, a computerized New York brownstone coming to life as the loading bar filled with color to completion. "Brinkley." He called the canine over. "Come on, we must watch your namesake."

He got up only once, to fill up a mug with coffee once the machine had finished brewing the pot. More than halfway into the movie when Kathleen and Christina are discussing the possibilities that NY152 is really the rooftop killer, Killian heard his phone chime from where he had sat it on the end table. His eyes lit up at the text.

E: Your dogs movie is on.

Killian laughed. _Aye love, that it is. We're watching it too. Well, I am. Brinkley has fallen back asleep._

E: I never thought I'd say I was jealous of a dog.

 _Belly rubs put him back to sleep. Perhaps I should try that with you sometime._ Killian replied. His phone rang a moment later.

"You're funny." Emma said dryly.

Fighting off a laugh, Killian replied. "My apologies love."

"I've always liked this part." Emma said changing the subject.

Killian turned his attention back to the screen. Kathleen was being interviewed by the local news company telling them how she had met Joe Fox and how he compared his bookstore to a Price Club and the books in it to cans of olive oil.

"It is a good line." Killian admitted. "Do you like that they get together at the end?"

"Well yeah. I mean, I don't like that he hid from her that he knew who she was but despite everything between them he managed to make her fall in love with him, while still being in love with his online persona. Plus it's Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. How can anyone not want them together at the end of a movie?" Emma asked.

Killian laughed. "Aye, love. That's a good point. Shall we finish watching it together?" He asked.

Emma agreed. They kept their commentary to the commercials only, watching as the rest of the storyline unfolded in front of them.

"Oh this is good too." Emma chimed in, referring to the scene where Joe is visiting Kathleen when she is sick and it seems to be the only time Kathleen is able to retort with the comments she wants to say instead of spending the rest of the night thinking about what she should have said.

Killian agreed and they lapsed back into silence until the end of the film.

"Listen for the jingling of Brinkley's collar." Killian nearly whispered.

Emma waited and just after Tom Hanks called after Brinkley for running away in the park Emma could hear the jingle of Brinkley's collar followed by a low bark through the phone. She laughed. "That's too funny. So the movie wakes him up every time?"

"Yes. Perhaps I should not finding it as amusing as I do." Killian replied.

Emma laughed before responding. "You really think Brinkley hasn't done something and laughed at your expense before? You know, maybe like having you carry him up flights of steps to an obedience class."

"Touche." Killian replied, thinking back on to other times Brinkley had managed to make a fool of his owner.

Through the phone he heard Emma stifle a yawn. "Perhaps I should let you go to bed now, love."

"Mmm." Came her muffled reply, followed by another yawn. "Are we going to the party together?" She asked referring to the after Labor Day party Coconut's was hosting the weekend after Labor Day.

"I'd be delighted should you want to be my date." Killian said grandly.

"Well, I mean, I guess you'll do." Emma teased him.

"There will be payback for the comment, love. Just you wait. Now off to bed with you before you yawn so hard you crack your jaw. Goodnight, love." Killian said.

Emma grumbled but he heard her feet shuffling and assumed she was heading back into her bedroom. He heard the click of a light turning off and Emma sighing softly. He could picture it, her hair pulled up into a messy bun on the top of her head, more tendrils escaping than those held back. Her eyes were always a brighter shade of green when she was tired, the apples of her cheeks taking on a pink hue that accented her freckles. Killian pictured her in the gray pajama shorts she wore the other night with the matching gray and white striped camisole. The strap always slid off her left shoulder and he imagined it was doing the same now. He pictured her with the pillows piled up around her, the comforter pulled up to her chin and the phone propped up between her shoulder and ear. She sighed again and he heard the sheets rustle against the speaker of the phone. "Hmm." She murmured sleepily. "Goodnight Killian."

He never hung up first, listening as she pulled the phone away from her ear and likely dropped t into bed beside her before her fingers fumbled around it again stabbing blindly at the bottom of the phone to disconnect the call.

He imagined one of these day she wouldn't do it and he'd have the option of listening to her sleep but he worried she might find it unsettling. He did it often enough when he shared a bed with her, finding himself waking up at her slightest movement and unable to fall back asleep without watching her first. She was beautiful in any light but he found the slight shimmer to her pale skin in the early hours of the morning to be especially gorgeous. It reminded him of a painting, soft pastel colors of peachy skin and pink lips, golden brown eyelashes resting against her cheek.

-/-

Unusual dreams plagued him for the next few nights, each one stranger than the last something he always managed to pick up on in the dream, but once he had awoken no memories of it had remained, only a variety of feelings, ranging from content to unease, blissful happiness to dread.

He was looking forward to the end of the week. Kris had asked him to work all weekend, giving him off Thursday and Friday instead. His days at the marina were limited, the iconic weekend to signify the end of summer was just beyond his grasp. Kris had promised it would be a busy one, the marina even opening up on Monday to make sure they were available for any tourists wanting to get in some last minute excitement on the water before returning back to their lives.

Killian was surprised at how quickly the summer had passed. It felt like only a few weeks since he had driven into town on that cool April day, he and Brinkley inhaling the salty scents of the ocean as they neared what would become their new home. With a start he realized he only had a little over a month before his extended lease was to end with Beverly and Bill. He hadn't spoken to the couple in a few weeks and made a mental note to contact them soon and see if he needed to start looking for a new place to live. The condo had proved to be more charming than he had expected in a great area. And yet at the same time it felt as though the summer had flown by in a swirl of a whirlwind friendship turned romance with Emma that left him wishing he could press the pause button on life to savor each moment with her.

A goofy smile crossed his lips as he remembered Betsy being more than thrilled to show Killian how to make her special hot chocolate and tipping him off as to where to find Emma. He had thanked her then but it didn't feel like enough. Perhaps if Emma were to get comfortable with the idea of calling him her boyfriend, he'd go back and visit the crepe shop owner, thanking her for giving him the opportunity to start a wonderful relationship.

He yawned, his mind wandering again. As a sufferer of insomnia, it wasn't as though Killian ever got a full night's rest, but the dreams were leaving him more and more restless after each one, taking longer and longer for him to fall back asleep.

"Killian, I don't want to pry, but is there something going on? You seem a bit distracted and unlike yourself. " Kris asked, cornering him in the rental shed at the end of his shift one night.

Killian winced. "Sorry about that. I've had very strange dreams lately that have left me unable to fall back asleep. I didn't mean for it to affect my work."

The other man shook his head. "It's not. Or, at least you're not doing anything obviously wrong. It's just clear to see that you are distracted."

Killian nodded unsure of what to say. He was embarrassed that the dreams were interfering with his life to this degree.

Kris looked sheepish. "Have you ever had a dream decoded?"

Killian shook his head. He knew there were many people who believed in decoding dreams and looking them up in special dream dictionaries to see what they meant, but he had never put any stock into the notion, simply accepting the dreams at face value. "I haven't. I'm not sure it's something that would work for me."

Kris nodded in understanding. "I get it. I thought the same thing."

Killian immediately sensed there was more to the story that Kris was not telling him and wasn't sure what it could be.

"It seems as though you have changed your mind about that though. May I ask what caused the change?" Killian asked his boss.

Kris hesitated as though he were weighing his options as to how Killian would take what he was going to say. "Anna has an aunt that spent the better part of her life decoding mysteries that our subconscious presents to us. She's a dream psychologist and has written some books on the subject. The books talk about how our fears and desires manifest themselves into our dreams, sometimes very obviously and sometimes in ways that are more hidden. She has tips for how to pull the necessary information from the dreams and then turn it into something positive, either by dealing with the issue in our life or making a change, doing something that either eliminates the fear or indulges the desire. I'll be honest with you, I only agreed to read the book because Anna asked me to, but I found it rather enlightening. Perhaps something of the sort could be of assistance to you."

Killian didn't reply immediately. He had to admit, the concept of daily issues manifesting themselves into dreams seemed quite logical and also logical that if one could determine these issues they could deal with them during waking hours, but it almost seemed too good to be true.

He didn't have anything against psychologists and had debated on seeing one when he first started having conversations with Liam after his death. In the end he figured he knew what he would be told, that Liam was a manifestation of Killian's grief and that he was creating the image of Liam in his mind and conversing with him because he was still grieving and didn't want to fully accept that his brother had passed on and there really would be no further communication.

"Don't feel obligated." Kris said cutting into Killian's thoughts. "It's not often that Anna's...charming habit of meddling wears off on me."

Killian laughed. "Don't apologize. I'll admit, it is not something I would typically consider but perhaps it is worth a shot."

Kris nodded. "I'll bring them in tomorrow. Unless you'd just prefer for Anna's aunt's name to borrow them from the library or such."

"No, borrowing them is fine." Killian replied.

Kris picked at his arm uncomfortably. "I hope you don't think I've crossed a line…"

"You haven't." Killian assured him.

* * *

Sorry for any mistakes. I was up until 11 finishing this last night and didn't have a chance to proof-read.


	35. Chapter 35

Sorry for posting this so late! Ever since laying out the story I've had a hard time figuring out what to write for the end of the summer season. I have the fall all the way through next spring planned out, but this time frame of September was really stumping me. I _finally_ finished this chapter during my lunch hour today and I think I have a plan for how to get through it. I also revised the outline and there are going to be close to 70 chapters before this is complete. Which means we're right around the halfway point. I seriously never imagined my little idea of a slow burn love story at the beach would turn into this.

*Revised to remove typos. (Proof-reading after 12 hours of work at a computer, not a good idea.)

* * *

Chapter 35: Emma

She pulled open the doors to Coconut's and stepped inside, surprised by the lack of noise. Both David and Ruby had texted her earlier asking if she could come in two hours before her shift. The restaurant had yet to open yet.

"Hello?" Emma called making her way through the restaurant.

"Out here." Ruby called from the deck.

Emma rounded the corner and found Ruby, David and his wife, Maggie, sitting at one of the picnic benches, a handful of papers scattered on the table in front of them. "Hey…"

"Oh good you're here!" David said, visibly relieved.

"What's up?" Emma asked dropping her bag onto the nearby table and joining them.

"The end of summer party is next weekend and we have nothing planned." Maggie said worriedly. "It's my fault, I usually plan it but I've been preoccupied lately and it slipped my mind."

Emma breathed a sigh of relief. She was worried something was wrong, not just a delay in planning the annual party. "What do you need from me?"

"Can you contact Rita at the COC and get something on the website and local paper that were not open to the public on the 12th after 5 pm?" David asked.

"Suggestions for the menu?" Maggie asked. "Burgers and dogs are fun, but we're a restaurant. We could afford to be more creative, especially if it's for our employees."

"Call the staff with me to see who can work that morning. I'd rather it be the seasonal help." Ruby replied.

Emma blinked a few times. "Well, okay then."

"Oh and Tuesday I need you to go shopping with me for the silly prizes." Ruby added. "Maybe some decor too."

Pulling out her phone Emma googled the number to the local Chamber of Commerce and smiled when Rita herself answered the phone. "Hi Rita, this is Emma from Coconut's...yeah we're having our annual party...yes after 5 its staff only. Oh, you know him?! Yeah he really helped us out back at the beginning of the summer playing for us. Oh, I don't know. I guess so." Emma paused listening to the other woman go on and on about how attractive Killian was and how she was shocked he hadn't snagged himself a lady friend or two with those eyes.

She couldn't help but be amused until Rita suggested that she call Killian and set him up with her niece that just moved to town. "No! He's mine." Emma said a little too enthusiastically. "I mean, he's my...boyfriend. Yes, I'm sure. Right, so you'll get it on the website and in the paper? Good. Uh, nice talking to you too."

Turning back around she found three sets of eyes staring at her. "Uhh…"

"I didn't know you were dating Killian." David replied.

"You called him your boyfriend!" Ruby squealed.

Maggie looked between her husband, Ruby and Emma, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Yeah, we're together." Emma said to David. "And yes, I called him my boyfriend." She said to Ruby offering a pointed look meaning they'd discuss it later.

"Well, that's one thing crossed off your list." Maggie said, changing the subject. "What do you think about a theme for the party and the food?"

"Uhh…" Emma paused thinking. She was never one to dream up a fancy menu or plan parties. She had no idea what people would like. Looking up, the giant fiberglass coconut with the restaurant's name in neon letters caught her eye. "What about a luau? Like pulled pork, pineapple, something with coconut. Really play up the tropical factor?"

"Emma that's genius!" Ruby exclaimed. "Coconut mojitos and crushes are all the rage right now. We could totally make those the main drinks."

"We already have coconut shrimp on the menu. We could do a steamed version with coconut in the dipping sauce to cut down on prep time. Pulled pork is so easy to make in large batches. We could have pineapple salsa to put on pulled pork tacos. Pineapple fried rice. This is great!" David chimed in.

"And decor is so easy! They sell leis everywhere." Maggie replied excitedly.

-/-

"So we need to discuss your most recent development." Ruby said when they had made their way through the list of staff and passed off the ones able to work to David to create the schedule.

Emma sighed. "I don't know, it just came out. You know I think of him as such, I just have issues using the actual term. Besides shouldn't we be talking about you, Miss I'm Engaged Now?"

"We'll talk about me later. So what was Rita suggesting he date someone? You sounded awfully jealous." Ruby avoided Emma's attempt to change the subject.

"She wanted to set him up with her niece. I overreacted." Emma said, feeling her cheeks flush.

"No you didn't. I mean, maybe you protested a bit loudly but you didn't overreact. Promise. So how are things going with you guys?" Ruby asked.

"Good. Really good. He's so...understanding." Emma replied honestly.

"About?" Ruby pressed.

Emma figeted. "Everything, but you getting engaged kind of freaked me out."

"Why?" Ruby asked gently.

"People might expect it from me. Or start asking about it or having kids. And I can't talk about it to strangers." Emma said.

Ruby slung her arm over Emma's shoulder. "Oh, hon. Don't worry about that. I'll drop kick anyone who starts questioning you."

Emma snorted. "You and Killian both, most likely. Oh god, I just realized I had a conversation with him about marriage and kids. We're barely dating. I was horrible to him in the beginning. He probably thinks I'm crazy. No wonder I haven't seen him as much this week. Oh, fuck what did I do?"

"Breathe." Ruby instructed. "Tell me about the conversation."

"I can't have kids. No one is going to want to marry me because of that." Emma replied. "Ow! What the hell?"

Ruby had flicked her square in the forehead. "Emma. Wife does not equal baby factory. There are plenty of happily married couples out there without children. You will be one of them. Or you could adopt. Or foster. You have options."

"That's what Killian said." Emma grumbled, realizing that if her friend and boyfriend were saying the same thing it was likely the truth.

"What did he say?" Ruby pressed.

"That children aren't a requirement of every marriage and they aren't a deal breaker for him." Emma admitted in a small voice.

"And you didn't believe him? Emma. I know you can't see it or you don't want to see it because then it will be real and real means you can get hurt, but that man is head over heels for you." Ruby replied with a frown.

"I never said I didn't believe him. I was still processing." Emma explained.

"Please don't freak out when I ask you this, but do you love him?" Ruby asked softly.

"I...I don't know. I'm not surely really know what love is. I don't remember my parents relationship. My aunt and uncle were piss poor examples of everything. My last long term relationship was all a lie." Emma replied, picking at her fingers.

"Okay. I get that. How do you feel when you're with him? And when you're not?" Ruby asked.

"Happy. He's great. He gets me. He's understanding and patient. Brinkley is hilarious. I'm relaxed around him. My guard isn't up, or isn't up as high. I miss him when we're not together. That's not love, right? That's just the happiness and lust stages in the beginning of a relationship, right?" Emma asked.

"It's a good foundation to go from lust to love." Ruby replied.

Emma hummed. "I thought we were going to talk about you. You had no idea Victor was planning on proposing did you?"

Ruby smiled, finally willing to change the subject. "No. I really didn't. We had only talked about it in passing. Did you know the ring is his grandmother's? I can't believe I have a family heirloom."

"That's really cool. Have you started planning at all?" Emma asked.

"Not really. We're thinking early next year. I want some down time after this tourist season before I need to start planning. Do you want to help me?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know anything about weddings. Wouldn't Maggie be a better choice?" Emma asked.

"You're my best friend! I mean, we can defer to her for married lady advice though. It's just a wedding, it can't be that hard to plan." Ruby grinned.

"I have a feeling this is going to be one of those instances of famous last words." Emma replied warily.

Ruby waved her off. "I'm going to be a totally laid back bride. It will be fine. Small wedding. Local. Good food and music and open bar. But I do expect some naked firefighters and policemen for my bachelorette party. But we can talk about that later. Come on, our shift is about to start."

-/-

"What do you think about these?" Ruby asked holding up a large pair of inflatable flip flops.

"Uh...they're pink." Emma offered, not sure what to say.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Yes. They are. You know what? I think we could do better with ordering online. Let's just get the stuff in the cart and go."

Emma eyed the wall of tropical decor in front of them. Brightly colored leis mixed with cheap plastic beads, hurricane glasses and a variety of inflatable palm trees, hibiscus flowers, coconuts, flip flops and toucans. Built in baskets below were filled with shot glasses, bottle openers, miniature plastic flamingos, key chains, straws and bouncy balls. She looked over to the cart Ruby had pushed up against the aisle. Ruby had tossed in a handful of leis, beaded charms to go around the stems of the hurricane glasses, an inflatable coconut, a pink and orange banner with PARTY in white letters and an assortment of colored napkins. "Yeah, I think we're good here."

They stood in line to purchase the items then headed back to Ruby's place to continue their search online. They ended up finding a party supply website with quick shipping and less cheesy alternatives plus decent options for the silly gifts David wanted to give out. They purchased strings of lights shaped as hibiscus flowers, two palm trees shaped from wires and rope lights, the remainder of the leis they needed, and silly gifts such as a oink-ing pig toy, a monkey that juggled bananas and a toucan that yelled "party!" When you pulled the string in the back.

-/-

"I feel like a sardine." Emma commented as Ruby eased out into the heavy traffic on the highway. Ruby had convinced Killian that they should all go out on a boat one final time before the end of summer.

"You won't once were out in the bay. It's going to be crowded of course, but there's so much more space in the water than here." Ruby replied, gesturing with her right hand to the line of slowly moving cars ahead of them.

"So you really haven't done any wedding planning yet?" Emma asked, knowing her friend was likely incapable until waiting after the tourist season ended and everything died down.

"Just looking around online at some ideas. And watching wedding shows on tv. Some people are insane. Would you believe there are people who spend ten thousand dollars on a dress? That's like a down payment on a house." Ruby replied, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel.

"Jesus. What does a ten thousand dollar dress even look like?" Emma asked, picturing layers upon layers of tulle and lace covered in expensive beading.

Ruby snorted. "The ones on the episode last night looked like lingerie. Corsets and low necklines and sheer parts. I mean, I kind of liked them but never for that kind of money. You'll go shopping with me right?"

"Yeah of course. Aren't you going to have family go too?" Emma asked, realizing in the years she had known Ruby, she hadn't talked about family much.

"Umm, we'll see." Ruby said quietly.

Emma shot her friend a look, no words required.

"I've never gotten along well with my mom. We've never seen eye to eye I guess. She wanted me to move to Baltimore for college, find a husband and stay there. Because that's what her mother wanted for her and instead she went to community college and got knocked up… So she is...less than pleased I'm engaged to Victor so I don't know if she's going to want to be part of anything." Ruby explained.

"I had no idea…" Emma started but Ruby cut her off.

"Hey, we all can have our secrets right? It just never seemed that important to talk about. I'm closer with two of my aunts. They know Victor and I are engaged but I haven't asked them to do anything with me yet. I'd rather it just be us if that's okay. I don't feel like dealing with family drama when trying on dresses. You'll be honest and tell me if my ass looks lumpy right?" Ruby asked laughing.

Emma held up her hand as if giving an oath. "I swear to talk you out of dresses that give you lumpy ass. And uniboob, because that's equally as important to avoid."

"See, I knew I kept you around for something." Ruby teased. "So this isn't how I planned it at all but since we're stuck in traffic and have some free time and all, will you be my maid of honor?"

"Seriously?" The words slipped from Emma's lips before she could stop them. She winced, worried about how her hasty response had sounded to her friend. It wasn't as though she didn't want to be there for her friend, but even her limited wedding knowledge knew that maid of honor was a very important role. "I mean, are you sure you want someone so inexperienced? I don't even know what a maid of honor does."

Ruby flicked her arm. "Yes, dork. I want YOU to be my maid of honor regardless of experience. You're my best friend! There aren't like rules or anything. Like traditionally you hold my flowers when I say my vows and make sure the train of my dress is laid out nicely for pictures. You can make a speech at the reception but it's not required. Oh the only thing I ask that you do is the bachelorette party. I don't need a shower or help with center pieces or anything."

"Do I get any say over the monstrosity you're going to make me wear?" Emma teased knowing her friend would do no such thing.

Ruby winked. "I'll make sure it's something Killian likes. Oh, also Victor's cousin is going to be his best man, but we're not doing any of the traditional maid of honor and best man stuff. You'll walk up the aisle together but no sitting next to each other of dancing or anything. He's married and you're with Killian so it just seemed dumb to do that stuff when you're both in relationships."

"Thanks...holy shit, we're finally moving." Emma said, pointing to the long line of cars in front of them finally beginning to ease off their brakes and creep forward.

One of Ruby's favorite songs came on the radio, she turned up the volume and began singing along as they slowly crawled down the highway. Emma took the break in conversation to think about what they had just discussed.

Emma had only attended one wedding before. When she was still living with her aunt and uncle early in her pre-teen years, a distant cousin got married and invited the whole family. It was one of the few times Ingrid had paid attention to her and treated her as more than an additional source of income. Emma supposed it was because Ingrid was very girly and got to dress Emma up, doing her hair and letting her wear a bit of make up. She had looked like a ballerina, silver flats and a lavender dress with a tulle skirt paired with her long, blonde hair pulled up into a bun. Ingrid had added a pale pink to her eyelids and lips, a light peach to her cheeks; just enough to accentuate her natural coloring.

Emma had been curious to attend the wedding, to meet other members of her family. She remembered the stained glass windows of the church, the noise of the fans circulating the sticky summer air and the harsh warning by Tony that they better all remain quiet during the ceremony. The bridesmaids were in knee length dresses, pale yellow in color and they each held a bundle of purple and green wild flowers. They had sat in the back and Emma had strained her ears to hear the vows her cousin Jenny had repeated. She had wrinkled her nose at the kiss, still at the age where boys kissing girls was gross and should be something done in private.

The reception had been held at a hall, the tables covered in yellow linens with the same wild flowers filling up based on the tables. She vaguely remembered the music and the couples dancing and the speeches, but remembered the near constant ting of forks against glasses. "Why are they doing that?" Emma had asked Ingrid.

"It's a wedding tradition. You tap on your glass when you want the bride and groom to kiss." Her aunt had explained.

Emma remembered Ingrid's increasing annoyance as Tony ordered drink after drink getting louder and louder, until finally she pulled her napkin from her lap and threw it on the table with force. Her eyes flashed with anger as she met the eyes of her sons and Emma. "You'll go to the bathroom and meet me outside. No dawdling." She had hissed.

Emma had nearly ran to the bathroom, not even needing to go. She washed her hands and looked at her reflection in the mirror, pleased with the makeup Ingrid had applied. The bathroom door had swung open and Ingrid marched inside, grabbing Emma by her forearm and dragging her out if the bathroom. "I said no dawdling!" She hissed at Emma, loudly enough to draw attention of guests in the entrance area of the hall.

"I didn't.." Emma had started to protest, silencing herself when the fingers dug even harder into her forearm.

"You still with me?" Ruby asked.

Emma shook herself from her memories, realizing they had arrived at the marina. "Sorry, I was just thinking about the one wedding I had attended as a kid."

Ruby looked at her carefully then nodded, as though she had talked herself out of questioning her. "No worries. Ready to go?"

Emma nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbing the large beach bag at her feet. They headed toward the renal office not sure which boat Kris had available for them to take out.

Killian met them before they could get to the door. "Hey love." He said beaming at her.

"Hi." She replied, reaching for his hand until he pulled her into a quick embrace. As soon as her nose pressed against the collar of his shirt, she inhaled, taking in the combination of Killian, salty bay air and gasoline from filling the jet skis.

"Hey Killian." Ruby offered in greeting. "Is Victor here yet?"

"He is. We're taking out Lazy Days. Head down the first pier and she's in the third slip on your right. Victor is there. He took down the cooler." Killian replied.

"Cool! Meet ya there." Ruby replied, grabbing Emma's bag from her hands and heading toward the pier.

Emma's eyes darted around the parking lot, making sure they weren't on display before she went up on her tiptoes, pressing a kiss to Killian's lips.

His nose bumped against hers. "What's going on?" He asked. Emma found his intuition attractive.

"Well, we had a kind of abstract, kind of not conversation about marriage and I was worried I freaked you out. Then Rita at the Chamber of Commerce wanted to set you up with her niece and I blurted out that you are my boyfriend. Oh and Ruby asked me to be her maid of honor." Emma said quickly.

Killian's eyes twinkled at her, the soft skin around his eyes crinkling as a huge grin broke out on his face. His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her against him. His free hand came up and bopped her lightly on the nose. "You did not freak me out. Congratulations on your title of maid of honor...girlfriend."

Emma pinched his side but couldn't keep a straight face. "Couldn't pass that up could you?"

Killian pretended to frown. "A man would have to be incredibly stupid not to be thrilled to be called your boyfriend, Swan. Although, I am containing myself. I haven't shouted it to the whole parking lot and I even promise not to get on the boat radio and announce it to everyone. Perhaps writing it on one of those banners the little planes pull though?"

Emma pinched him again. "Don't make me regret it, Jones." She teased.

He pretended to look affronted. "I would never! Now come on before Ruby starts hollering for us to join them."


	36. Chapter 36

**Sorry for the late posting!**

Chapter 36: Killian

"I don't think we'll get a place on the sandbar today." Killian said, starting the engine of the boat and pulling away from the pier.

"No big deal. I'm just happy we're out on the water. I can't believe how quickly this summer has gone by. It's the last official weekend." Ruby said with a frown and a pout.

"It was a quick summer." Victor agreed.

Ruby frowned. "Obviously for you. You've spent the majority of it with your nose in a book."

Victor playfully stuck his tongue out at his fiancée. "One simply doesn't pass the bar without studying for it. Although I'll be thrilled when this is all over."

"When do you take the test?" Emma asked.

"Right before Thanksgiving. We won't find out our results for weeks either. Should make for an entirely stress free holiday season." Victor replied sarcastically.

Ruby kissed him on the cheek. "I'm sure you'll do fine and we'll have a great holiday. I'll save all of the wedding planning you want to be part of until after November then." She turned to look at Emma. "I'm probably going to have you stand in on some stuff."

Emma nodded.

"What kind of law do you want to practice?" Killian asked, slowing the boat down as they came up on a group of smaller boats; not wanting to rock them too much with the wake the larger vessel would leave.

"I'm thinking elder law." Victor replied.

"I refuse to let you dress up like Matlock. Just because Saul had that going for him doesn't mean you will." Ruby said.

"Saul?" Killian asked.

"Well, Jimmy McGill at that time. _Better Call Saul_? The lawyer from _Breaking Bad_." Ruby answered, surprised at the confused look that remained on Killian's face. "Breaking Bad. Walter White. Jesse. High school chemistry teacher who gets cancer and starts making crystal meth because he can't afford treatment? Come on, really?"

Killian shrugged. "Oh I remember now. I watched a few episodes and couldn't get into it."

Ruby turned to Emma for help. "Did you see any episodes in the second season or after?"

"I don't believe so." Killian replied.

"The show started during the writers strike. The first season kind of sucks but if you stick it out and keep watching, they totally make up for it tenfold. It's so well written with plot twists that you'd never expect. You should try watching it again. I hear it's kind of dead around these parts in the winter." Emma joked.

Killian grinned at her. "If you're up for watching it again, I'd be willing to give it another shot."

Emma made her way across the deck on shaking sea legs to hold out her hand. "Deal?"

Laughing Killian shook her hand and responded in kind, wondering why she had bothered to cross the deck for something so simple. She lingered for a second.

"Here, sit here." He said standing up and moving so she could take his place at the captain's chair.

She obliged and Killian took her hands, placing them on the wheel, moving to stand behind her. His hands covered hers, gently guiding her hands to turn the wheel in the direction the boat needed to go.

"So elder law, eh?" Killian asked. "I suppose that would be a good choice for the area."

"I hope so." Victor replied. "That looks like a good spot." He gestured toward an area with only a few boats.

Killian kept his hands on Emma's, directing the boat to where they wanted to rest and brought the boat to a stop, turning off the engine. Victor assisted, dropping the anchor and helping Killian pull back the canopy that covered most of the deck. _Lazy Days_ was a much smaller vessel, no steps leading to an interior cabin just a hatch. Storage was limited but many of the seats folded down into benches great for sunbathing. There was also the entire front of the boat, flat except for the hatch.

Killian couldn't help but watch when Emma peeled offer her tank top and slid out of her shorts, revealing the nautical print bikini. Turning toward Victor, he noticed the man was doing the same as his fiancée pulled the hem of her dress up and over her head. Killian smiled to himself until Victor caught him.

"Rather attractive ladies, we have huh?" Victor said, quietly.

"Quite." Killian responded.

He and Victor grabbed their towels and followed Ruby and Emma to the front of the boat, spreading out their beach towels over the gleaming white exterior.

Killian watched as Emma rubbed the white lotion onto her lightly tanned skin. Before she could ask, he leaned forward tipping his face in her direction and closed his eyes. Soft fingertips applied the sunblock to his forehead, her thumbs dragging the lotion downward to his cheeks, avoiding coming too close to his eyes. When her fingers moved to his chin, he opened his eyes again, finding her studying him with a soft smile on her face.

"Hmm?" He asked, eyebrow raising in inquiry.

Emma started, fingers jumping over the stubble on his face as her eyes met his. "What?"

"You had a faraway look on your face. I was merely inquiring as to why." Killian replied.

Emma shook her head slightly, rubbing in the last of the lotion and pulling back slightly. "I don't know. I was just kind of lost in thought."

Killian nodded, reaching forward to take the bottle from her and gesturing for her to turn around. She faced her back to him, one hand holding her hair further off her neck. Killian squirted the lotion into his hands, rubbing them together to warm it before applying it to her back. His fingertips slid under the ties at her neck, spreading the lotion to make sure the pale skin there didn't get burned. His fingers slid lower, covering her shoulder blades and spins before they dipped under the strings of her top. He added more lotion to his hands, covering her lower back and slipping his hands around to get her ribs and hips.

She scooted back instantly, pressing her back against his chest. Killian's arms wrapping around her, resting on her stomach. Her head tilted back, coming to rest against his collarbone. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "You have such flawless skin." He said softly.

Emma laughed shaking her head slightly. "It's just skin."

Killian closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, the scent of the sunblock mixing with Emma's natural lightly floral smell and the briny scent of the bay. He felt her relax further against him. He had no idea how long they sat like that until she twisted her head a bit, pressing her lips to the scruff covering his jaw.

Emma unwound his hands from around her stomach and scooted back onto her towel, lying on her stomach and slipping her fingers through his. He followed suit, stretching out on his own towel, propping his head up on the forearm of his free hand.

He tuned out the sounds of the other boaters and the squawking seagulls, focusing on the gentle lull of the boat from the waves and the heated rays of the sun that beat down on them, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

He cracked an eye open a while later when she released her fingers from his. Emma rolled over, pushing her sunglasses up into her hair and closed her eyes. Her hand reached over in his direction, linking their fingers together once again.

Some time passed before he opened his eyes again at the sounds of someone sitting up.

"Lunch?" Ruby asked.

Everyone agreed and they made their way back to the deck of the boat, pulling out the sandwiches, chips and watermelon they had brought for lunch. They all ate quickly, each downing a bottle of water.

"Jesus it's hot." Emma said, holding up her hair off her neck again, despite it being pulled back into a high bun.

Ruby groaned, pressing the remainder of her water bottle to her forehead. "I know! I think it's time to get in the water."

Victor and Killian nodded in agreement. "You coming Emma?" Ruby asked.

Emma frowned, wrinkling her nose.

"What?" Killian asked.

"I'm just not really a fan of getting into water I can't see through." Emma admitted.

"You should have said something, love." Killian said, moving toward the bench seating and pulling off the cushions. "I'm not sure if there's any floats or rafts on here."

Emma shrugged. "It's no big deal, I don't need to get in."

"Ah ha!" Killian said, pulling a pool noodle that had seen better days from out of the storage bench. It had likely once been bright pink, now faded to a pastel shade. A chunk was missing from one end, as though it had lost a fight from a hungry dog.

Emma laughed. "You sure that thing is bay worthy, captain?"

"Might as well find out." Killian said, stepping up onto the bench seating and then onto the rail before jumping over and into the water with the noodle in his hand.

He popped up a few seconds later, the noodle wrapped under his arms. "It floats." He declared.

"So I see." Emma replied, walking to the small landing at the back of the boat and sitting down. Ruby and Victor followed, both jumping in right away. Killian slid the noodle under her feet, treading water just to her right.

"I understand if you don't find it bay worthy enough." Killian said, running his fingers through his hair to push it off his forehead. Droplets rolled down his forehead, heading for his eyes. He shook his head hard, inadvertently spraying Emma.

"I think you've spent too much time with your dog." Emma replied dryly.

Killian laughed. "Sorry love. Can I convince you to come in? It's not too cold."

Emma debated for a moment before nodding at Killian. Holding the noodle with her right hand she pushed off the boat with her left arm into the bay. She wrapped the noodle across her chest, hugging it tightly under her arms.

"You okay love?" Killian asked.

Emma nodded. "Trying not to think about all the things I can't see."

Killian waded towards her. "Shall I protect you from them?" He asked puffing out his chest.

She laughed, reaching out to press her hand against his chest. "Sure. But I'd prefer if they just didn't exist."

His fingers slid over hers, pulling her the rest of the way to him until their legs bumped together. Killian wrapped his arms around her waist, allowing the noodle and the buoyancy of the water to keep them afloat. Her legs slid around his hips and she adjusted the noodle to wrap around her back, pressing her closer to him.

Killian ducked his head and pressed his lips against hers, taking in her slight gasp of surprise. He caught her bottom lip with his teeth, tugging a little before breaking the kiss and pulling back from her slightly. "Have you ever been skinny dipping?" He asked in a low voice.

Emma laughed. "What? No!"

Killian shrugged. "It's surprisingly relaxing. Perhaps something you should try some time."

Emma looked at him incredulously. "Naked in the ocean? No thanks."

Killian shook his head at her, fingers skimming up and down her back. "Well, love there is this recent invention called a swimming pool…"

-\\-

He watched as she stepped out of his shower, one towel wrapped under her arms and the other twisted atop her head. Her skin glistened with the sheen of the lotion she had applied, lightly pink from their time in the sun today. He watched as she unwound the towel from her hair, the damp blonde hair contrasting against her sun-kissed skin, bringing out her freckles and making her eyes seem even greener than usual.

She caught his eye in the mirror then, a darker pink stain blooming on her cheeks.

"May I?" He asked, gesturing toward the comb she held in her hand.

Emma looked surprised at first, but nodded. He took the comb and stood behind her, carefully dragging it through her damp tresses, untangling the snarls. As he reached the crown of her head, her eyes slipped closed.

"What was all of that talk about skinny dipping earlier?" She asked him in a quiet voice.

Killian shrugged. "Nothing really. You legs wrapped around my waist made me think of it. How, if alone and naked, it could have been rather enjoyable."

He grinned as her eyes popped open, pupils slightly dilated. "Just something to keep in mind perhaps."

"So you're not even going to ask me about what I told you earlier?" She asked uncertainly, changing the subject.

Killian had to think back for a moment before remembering that Emma had told Rita they were together. "I'd like to know how it came about of course, but I wasn't sure you were ready to talk."

"Rita always puts something in the paper for us when the restaurant closes for the party. David had me call her to let her know the date and time. She asked me if I knew you and I said yes. Then she said she was surprised you were still single and she was thinking about setting you up with her niece who moved back. And then I kind of blurted out that she couldn't because we were together." Emma explained handing him a hair tie as he finished combing through her hair.

His nails scratched against her scalp as he used his fingers instead of the comb to pull her hair up and away from her face. He twisted the tie around her hair, opting for a ponytail instead of her usual bun. He tugged playfully on it, winking at her. "Hmm, love. I think I like this possessive side of you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Really? That's it?"

Killian gave her a confused look.

"You're not going to tease me about it? I thought that would be right up your alley." She replied.

He furrowed his brow at her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into a standing position. His lips rested against the shell of her ear. He couldn't help but smirk as he saw the goosebumps appear on her arms from the simple contact. "If you wish to be teased," he paused sucking her earlobe into his mouth. "I am more than willing to oblige, love. But teasing a woman about her affections for a man, well that would be bad form."

His fingers trailed lightly from her wrists to her collarbone, his lips moving to press a line of kisses down the column of her neck. He watched as her eyes fluttered closed as he repeated the motions of his fingertips. Her back arched, her behind pressing intimately against him. Her arms raised as she twisted in his arms to kiss him, the towel coming free and falling at their feet.

He kissed her hungrily, relishing in how her bare breasts felt pressed against his chest. He broke the kiss and spun her back around, biting back a groan as she rubbed against him suggestively. Killian ran his fingers from her thighs to the underside of her breasts, smiling at she arched into his touch. He repeated the motions, coming closer and closer but avoiding all the places she craved his touch. His lips alternated between her neck and her ear until she was wiggling against him.

He finally relented, fingers cupping the swell of her breasts as his thumbs brushed over the distended peaks. Emma arched again, letting out a breathy exhale. His lips nuzzled against her neck. "Open your eyes."

Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his in the mirror. Her skin flushed and her gaze darkened as his fingers trailed over her ribs and hips, moving to trace over the crease of her inner thighs. Her stance widen immediately offering him access.

Killian traced the shell of her ear with his tongue. "Would my exquisitely beautiful girlfriend like to be ravished now?" he asked, one hand coming up to palm her breast.

"Yes." She replied breathily before her eyes narrowed."I see what you did there."

Killian smirked and shrugged. "I believe I have some ravishing to do." He spun her in his arms and brought his lips to hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck. He slid his hands to her behind and lifted. She complied immediately, wrapping her long legs around his waist.

Killian paused for a second, taking the time to feel how well their bodies fit together in that position. It appeared she realized it as well, rocking her hips into his, seeking friction.

"Not just yet." He said desk at her lips, taking a few steps forward and gently placing her on the counter. Her legs immediately parted making room for him to stand between her thighs. His hands rested at her waist, as his lips followed a path from her neck to her chest, going down on his knees to press kisses against her stomach.

His hands moved to her backside, pulling her to the edge of the counter before ducking his head and pressing an open-mouthed kiss to her core.

She started at the contact but it quickly turned into a long moan as he slid his tongue over her sensitive flesh. In a matter of minutes her thighs were shaking around his head, her fingernails dipping into his scalp as she held him where she needed him the most.

Her moans got breathier and he waited until the moment where her entire body went rigid before sliding his finger within her, curling it to hit the precise spot that would prolong her pleasure. He stayed with her through it until she pushed back against the counter. "Too much." She muttered.

He lifted his head to look at her, unable to keep the smirk off his face. Tendrils of hair had come free and fanned her face, her skin was flushed pink, breasts heaving as she drew in ragged breaths. While never one to have read romance novels Killian was fairly certain she displayed one of the heroines after being ravished.

He stood, stepping between her splayed thighs again and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder. "Come on love, let's get you to bed."

Her left hand that had come to rest at his lower back increased the pressure holding him to her. "That's all the ravishing, I get?" She pouted teasingly, her right hand coming to cup him through the shorts he wore.

"Of course not." He managed to say as she pushed down his shorts and boxer briefs with her nimble fingers, working him from a half-erect to fully hard state in a matter of seconds.

"Although if you keep that up," he paused, sucking in a breath as her thumb swiped over the tip of him, "I'll have to resort to ravishing you with my mouth again."

Emma slowed her pace as if weighing her options. Then she slid forward again, her legs wrapping around his thighs to pull him forward. She removed her hand, rolling her hips up into him.

"Are you sure you wish to do this here, love?" He asked wondering how uncomfortable she might be on the hard counter.

"Yep." She replied resolutely, punctuating her desire not to move with another roll of her hips against him, gasping as he brushed against her sensitive nub.

Killian shrugged. "If my gorgeous girlfriend insists," he said, pushing into her slowly.

She clung to his neck, shallowly rocking her hips forward with each of his thrusts. It didn't take long before he felt her tighten around him. He increased his pace, slipping one hand between to push her over the edge again with him this time.

* * *

 **So we were supposed to get to the end of summer party, but these two just decided they needed a smut scene instead. Demanding characters, I swear. ;)**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Emma

"I have appointments booked for us at three-thirty." Ruby said.

"Appointments for what?" Emma asked warily.

"Mani pedi's. And I'm getting my eyebrows waxed."Ruby replied.

Emma simply nodded. She usually fought Ruby every time she booked an appointment like this, stating she was perfectly capable of painting her own nails but she was actually looking forward to some pampering.

(It had nothing to do with the fact that Killian had recently complimented her on the color of polish on her toes. At least that's what she told herself.)

"No argument?" Ruby asked, clearly surprised.

"Nah, it's been awhile since you talked me into this." Emma answered.

The nail salon didn't have a wait when they arrived. Emma followed Ruby to the wall of polishes, slightly overwhelmed by the options. Without hesitation Ruby selected her signature fire-engine red color for both her hands and feet.

Emma picked a shimmery gold color for her hands and debated what to do with her toes. "I kind of want to do a non traditional color." She said to Ruby, moving to look at the selection of blue and green polishes.

"Oh, do it! I love that turquoise color." Ruby replied pointing to a color that had caught Emma's eye as well.

Emma grabbed the bottle of polish. "Me too. It's too pretty to pass up."

She sighed as her feet sank into the heated, bubbling water. Ruby did the same, silencing her phone and tossing it in her bag. She grabbed the stack of gossip magazines sitting between them. "Let's see if there is anything we need to know about...another Teen Mom is getting divorced. Taylor went on vacation with her boyfriend and took cute pics. Kanye is still crazy. And Kate has stupidly cute children. Nope, nothing new." She tossed the magazines back into the basket.

"Kate?" Emma asked.

"You know, Middleton." Ruby replied as though it were obvious.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't realize you were on a first name basis with the Duchess." Emma deadpanned.

"Oh yeah, we go way back." Ruby joked.

Two ladies sat down on the stools in front of them and started their pedicures. Ruby laughed and fought to keep her legs straight as the woman scrubbed the bottom of her feet with a pumice stone. Emma never understood how someone with ticklish feet could voluntarily get pedicures.

"Very pretty color." The woman said before opening the bottle and applying the polish to Emma's toes.

They switched over to the manicure chairs, fingernails resting in the warm water. Emma couldn't stop peeking at her toes, staring at the bright turquoise color.

"What are you doing after this?" Ruby asked.

Emma frowned. "I should do laundry. I just don't feel like it. Why?"

"Oh good. Procrastinate and go shopping with me instead." Ruby said.

"Eh, okay." Emma agreed.

"Wait, really?" Ruby turned to her friend in shock.

"Yes. nail polish." Emma gestured toward her wet nails with her chin. "If I do laundry now, I'll just mess them up. And I really, really don't feel like lugging everything to the laundromat."

"I thought you could use the washer and dryer in the main house?" Ruby asked.

"Contractors have been in and out all week. They're remodeling something most likely. I'd rather not get in their way." Emma answered.

-/-

"Emma, that dress would look gorgeous on you. You should try it on." Ruby said pointing to a polka dot sundress in a color similar to the one on her toes.

"It's not too matchy?" Emma asked, thumbing through the hangers until she found her size.

"Not at all." Ruby replied.

Emma tried on the dress along with a few other suggestions Ruby had picked and then some pieces she had found on her own. She rarely went clothes shopping for clothes, choosing to only pick up items as she absolutely needed them. Standing in the dressing room, Emma fastened the button on her shorts and pulled her tank top over her head. She shuffled her feet into her flip flops and eyed up the pile of clothes hanging on the hooks in front of her. Everything had fit and it had been some time since she had bought anything new. Frowning, she held up two of the tops in front of her, trying to decide between the two. A minute later she wasn't any closer to making a decision than before. Sighing, she held up the shirts again, this time grabbing the price tag. Her eyebrows raised as she took in the deeply discounted price. Grabbing the dress and the jeans, she looked at the tags and quickly calculated the cost for everything in her head; pulling out her phone and adding up the prices again to confirm she was correct at the surprisingly low cost of all of the items. She knew they were shopping at a discount store but had failed to factor in the end of the season discounts applied to summer clothing.

"Are you going to let me see the dress?" Ruby called from the next dressing room over.

"Sure, just gimme a minute." Emma replied, pulling off her tank top and taking the dress off the hanger once again. She slid off her shorts and pulled her hair out from under the back of the dress, pulling it out over she shoulders. "Okay." She said, opening the door to the dressing room.

Ruby opened her own door, face breaking out into an immediate grin. "Spin." She instructed.

Emma did as she asked, twirling around slowly so Ruby could see the back of the dress.

"That looks amazing on you. You should totally get it." Ruby told her.

"I'm getting all of it actually." Emma replied, gesturing toward the clothing hanging on the hook.

Ruby blinked a few times, shaking her head briefly before meeting Emma's eyes. "Are you sure you haven't been abducted by aliens? You voluntarily agreed to get pampered and now you're buying yourself clothes." Ruby questioned, suspiciously.

Emma rolled her eyes, giving her friend a patronizing look. "No alien abduction, at least that they've made me aware of. You always tell me I never spend money on myself and here I am trying to do it and you're convinced I've been visited by little green men with huge eyes. Besides, you know the tips were pretty decent this summer."

"They were, but are you sure there isn't another reason. A blue eyed one, maybe?" Ruby pressed.

"No. Well, not exactly. I mean, I'm not buying clothes because of Killian." Emma replied.

"So why are you buying them?" Ruby questioned.

"Because I want to. Killian doesn't have anything to do with the clothes, but I was thinking of something. It's September. His lease ends next month." Emma replied.

"So?" Ruby asked.

"So he could be leaving." Emma replied, exasperated that Ruby wasn't following along.

Ruby laughed. "Leaving his condo? Maybe. Leaving the area? Not a snowball's chance in hell. Plus he agreed to come to my wedding, which is next year _and_ he's going to watch _Breaking Bad_ with you."

"Agreeing to watch a show with me is not a guarantee. He could think we would, I don't know, Skype it or something. And people travel to weddings." Emma retorted.

"You're worrying over nothing. I promise you. Why don't you just talk to him about it?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know. I don't want to come off as needy. He could want to move away." Emma replied.

"He doesn't. That man and that dog are here for as long as you're willing to have them. Then likely even longer. Just talk to him about it." Ruby encouraged.

"I'll think about it." Emma replied.

"You better. Don't stress yourself out over nothing. Now come on, we need to find you some shoes to go with that dress." Ruby chastised.

"Shoes? I don't need to buy shoes too-" Emma started to say but promptly cut herself off at the look Ruby gave her. "Right. Shoes. Let's go look." She amended.

-/-

She hadn't seen Killian in two days. It wasn't intentional, or perhaps it was, because she had managed to work herself up into an anxious state, semi-convinced that Killian was going to simply pack and up leave without a word when his lease ended next month. The logical part of her brain knew it wasn't likely, that there was truth to what Ruby had said. They had talked on the phone and shared a handful of texts, but it wasn't the same. Despite the irrational portion of her brain worried he would leave, she acknowledged that she missed him. That when given the choice to spend the day with or without him, even if only running errands or completing chores, she preferred to be with Killian. Her sleeping patterns had always been erratic; even the nights where insomnia didn't plague her she still woke every few hours. Except when she shared a bed with Killian, she managed to sleep in longer stretches or through the the night entirely. Texts and phone calls weren't the same, even if she was the one who told him to stay home last two nights. Butterflies flitted in her stomach and Emma realized she was excited to see Killian at the party.

Frowning, Emma grabbed her phone and typed out a quick text. Killian replied almost immediately that he would be over shortly.

"Hello, love." He said, grinning as she opened the door. Her eyes roved over him as though it had been more than a few days since she had last seen him. She took in the scruff that covered his chin, noticing a few ginger hairs in between the dark brown ones she hadn't noticed before. Her eyes slid down the hollow of his neck, taking in the tanned skin exposed with his open collar. Three buttons of his shirt were undone, exposing more than a smattering of dark chest hair. She took in the fitted shirt, the light blue only serving to further bring out his eyes. The pearlescent buttons shimmered slightly, the sleeves of the dress shirt rolled up to expose his forearms. On his right wrist he had a simple bracelet, a woven leather in dark brown that stood out even against his sun-darkened skin. The shirt was tucked into a khaki colored shorts, the brass buckle of his belt standing out prominently. Toned legs led to nearly bare feet, a pair of dark brown leather flip flops on his feet.

Emma reached out, her fingers fisting in the fabric of his shirt, pulling him toward her and kicking her front door closed behind them. She registered the shocked look that crossed his face but before he could question her, her other hand wound around his neck, pulling his lips down to hers. It was sloppy and rough at first, noses bumping and teeth clacking, until his hand curved around the back of her neck, angling her head and he took control over the kiss. Emma nearly moaned into his mouth, fueled by how quickly she could feel the desire rising in him.

Removing her hand from his neck, she brought it to join her other one, clumsily trying to undo the buttons. She finally managed to undo them and pull the hem of his shirt free, running her hands from his chest to the waistband of his shorts, feeling the muscles that flexed underneath her touch.

Her fingers slid up again, pushing the shirt off his shoulders and down his arms, tugging when it stuck on his arms until it came free. She turned her attention toward his belt buckle, managing to undo it before he broke the kiss. "Love?" He questioned.

Emma kissed her way across his jaw, moving down the column of his neck as her fingers worked to undo the button of his shorts. "I miss you." She muttered against his skin.

One of his hands came up over hers, stilling her movement the other coming to tilt her chin up to him. "If this is the hello I get for not seeing you for two days, perhaps I should keep away more often." He teased her with a wink.

"Complaining?" Emma challenged.

"Not a bit. Although we don't have much time before we need to leave for the party. Perhaps we should continue this later tonight." Killian said, lips ghosting over hers.

Emma smirked. "Or maybe you shut up and kiss me and see if we can set a new record. I still need to shower."

She watched as his eyes darkened, his fingers coming to slide under the hem of her tank top, teeth sinking into his bottom lip. "Oh love, you know how I love a challenge." He replied, voice low and full of desire.

Emma felt her pulse quicken, want coursing through her veins. "Show me." Her voice came out breathier than she intended but Emma found she didn't mind at all with the way his eyes lit up.

She barely had a second to react before his arm swung under her legs, lifting her up and walking quickly toward the bathroom. He sat her on the counter, pulling her tank top over her head. "Christ, love, no bra?" He muttered, cupping her breasts and ducking his head to add his mouth to the mix.

"I- _oh-_ needed to get in the shower. Seemed...seemed silly to put one on before that." Emma said, tilting her head back to give him better access.

"Hmm." Killian murmured, the vibration teasing her more.

"Shower. With me." Emma managed to say.

Killian pulled back slowly, drawing as much pleasure from her as possible. Emma slid off the counter and unbuttoned her shorts, pushing them down with her boyshorts. Killian paused, eyes slowly working their way over her nude body.

Walking backwards, Emma stepped into her shower. "You're wasting time." She taunted, turning on the water.

She tilted her head back, hands coming up to push the water through her hair. By the time she had tilted her head back again, Killian had removed the rest of his clothing and was stepping into the shower with her. Large hands circled her waist, pulling her flush against him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, turning her face upward to meet his lips. Killian walked them backward another step until she was under the spray. The heated droplets cascaded over her already sensitized skin, her nipples hardening further as his thumbs swept over them.

Killian spun them around, his back against the cool shower tile and pulled Emma's back against his chest, rocking his hips against hers. He pulled the wet strands of her hair away, pushing it over her opposite shoulder; his lips closing over the shell of her ear.

Emma moaned, rocking back against him. One hand cupped her breast, twirling her nipple between his fingers as the other slid between her legs, touching her with the barest hint of pressure. His lips moved to her neck, nipping lightly and Emma found herself rolling her hips into his touch trying to seek more friction.

She nearly whimpered at the loss of his touch when he removed his hands, until she felt him remove the shower head and positioning it over her chest. His fingers slid between her thighs again, teasing her with gentle strokes until her knees were shaking. "Please."

Killian complied, slipping his fingers inside her, nipping harder at her neck. Emma rolled her hips back against him, hands coming up to touch her breasts. "That's it, love." Killian murmured in her ear. "Touch yourself."

He tilted the shower head downward, the droplets running between her thighs. She widened her stance immediately, trying to adjust the droplets to where she needed them. Killian flexed his wrist, the spray teasing her further. She jumped as it hit the right spot, her knees weakening. Killian increased the speed of his fingers, widening his own stance for her to rest against him. Emma rocked back against Killian, her hand wrapping around his wrist as wave after wave of pleasure rolled over her until the sensation took over, her toes curling as she called out his name.

"What is it with us and the shower?" Emma asked when she could form coherent thoughts again, turning around in Killian's embrace.

He chuckled. " I'm not sure, love, but there's something about you wet and wanting."

Emma rolled her eyes at the double entendre. Her hand slid between their bodies, gripping his length. "Seems we still need to take care of this." She said, switching their positions and bracing herself against the wall, stance widened. She looked back over her shoulder to find Killian gaping back at her with wide eyes. "Problem?"

"Not at all, love." He said, coming up behind her.

Emma widened her stance further and rolled her hips back when he pushed into her slowly. She dropped her head to her arm, focusing on the heavy drag of him inside her. His lips found the shell of her ear as his fingers slid over her already sensitized flesh. She rocked back with each of his thrusts, climbing closer and closer to falling over the edge again.

"Close?" Killian asked, breath hot in her ear.

Emma nodded in response, bending slightly more forward and gasping at the new angle they'd created. Killian's fingers increased with the tempo of his hips until she fell over the edge again, Killian joining her.

Emma kept her face pressed to the cool tile until it transferred to her skin and she felt as though her legs could support her again. She turned around, holding Killian to her. "I think we might need to rush the actual shower portion of this if we're going to make it to the party on time." She said apologetically.

Killian nodded and stepped back, letting Emma stand under the spray to wash her hair. They traded places and he washed his own, removing the gel he had put in it before coming to her place. She caught him watching as she lathered up the loofah. "Why do I have a feeling we're going to be late?" She asked.

She met him with an amused look when his eyes finally met hers, grinning that he still managed to look slightly sheepish. "It's not my fault that I have such a stunning girlfriend." He replied.

"Out." Emma said.

"What?" Killian asked confused.

"I can't show up late to the party with you and that smirk." She pointed at his face. "So I'm politely telling you to get out of my shower so I can get ready and we can be somewhat on time."

She laughed as he bowed. "As the lady wishes."

Emma finished her shower quickly and rushed to dry off, putting on lotion while her skin was still damp. She applied minimal make up and twisted her hair back into a French braid, the only style she could think of that would work with wet hair. She exited the bathroom and stepped into the turquoise dress, slipping her feet into the wedges Ruby had talked her into buying.

"I'm ready." She said, coming into the living room to find Killian sitting on the couch, once again dressed. His hair was still damp and messier than when he arrived but she figured it would have to do.

"You look stunning in that dress, love." Killian replied, standing up.

-/-

"I like the theme." Killian said and Emma turned around to see the deck from his angle. The decor that had seemed somewhat tacky and cheap online looked completely different in person, the deck taking on a tiki feel. Torches lined the perimeter, twinkle lights dangled from every available surface and hibiscus flowers were placed throughout. Two rope-light palm trees sat in front of three kiddie pools filled with sand and topped with sandcastle building supplies.

"It is pretty cool. Not at all what I was picturing at first. Come on, let's go grab a drink." Emma replied and they made their way over to the bar, adorned with a stack of coconuts.

"Coconut mojitos are the speciality." The bartender informed them. Emma vaguely recognized him as one of the summer help but she couldn't place his name.

"I'll take one of those then." Emma replied. Killian ordered a beer and drinks procured, they made their way through the crowd to the picnic table where Ruby sat with Victor.

They chatted with their coworkers until a line formed in front of the food tables and David announced that everyone needed to get in line. The line moved quickly, Emma filling her plate with pulled pork and pineapple dishes.

David and Maggie came around once everyone had been seated again. "How is everything?" David asked.

"The food is delicious and the luau theme is pretty cool." Killian replied.

"You know the theme was mainly Emma's idea." Maggie chimed in, before reaching over to shake Killian's hand and apologizing for not introducing herself first.

"I just suggested playing up the name of the restaurant because it hadn't been done before." Emma said, uncomfortable with the attention being on her.

"Are you planning on having a sandcastle competition?" KIllian asked, gesturing toward the kiddie pools filled with sand.

"Yes. Actually that's part of the reason why we came over here. Since you'd beat everyone, Killian, we were wondering if you'd like to be our third judge." Maggie asked.

Killian agreed and David dashed over to where the music was playing and grabbed the microphone, informing everyone that the sandcastle building competition would start in five minutes.

Emma found herself standing next to Ruby and a few other coworkers who chose to sit this competition out. Ashley, one of the waitresses was competing against Mark, a busboy and Joe, one of the kitchen staff. David explained the rules, they only had five minutes to build their best work. The timer sounded and the three got to work, cheered on by their coworkers.

It was obvious that Ashley was the winner, her castle was the only one that hadn't collapsed when the time was up. David awarded her one of the silly prizes and told everyone they would have a limbo game coming shortly.

"I can't do that in these shoes. Or in a dress." Emma told Ruby, watching as the bar dropped lower and lower.

Ruby tilted her head watching as one of their coworkers needed to crab walk under the bar. "Yeah, I'm all for being flexible but I'm cool with sitting this one out."

-\\-

As the night wore on and the sun faded over the ocean, David and Maggie convinced everyone to participate in different silly games, keeping the food stocked and the alcohol flowing. It was late when karaoke was finally suggested.

They made it through a few songs before Killian caught Emma yawning.

"I don't know why I'm so tired." She apologized.

"It's fine, love. Perhaps we should make our getaway before we're asked to sing?" Killian offered.

"I thought you liked singing." Ruby asked confused.

"I do. I just don't feel like it tonight." Killian replied.

"Let's say our goodbyes." Emma said, standing up.

They made their way through the crowd, saying goodbye to coworkers before coming up to David and Maggie and thanking them for the party.


	38. Chapter 38

**Last Friday this story passed its first anniversary. The story starts in April and while I didn't specify a date, the one I chose was April 22nd because that was the actual day this story was born. It came to be randomly, just a fleeting idea that maybe I could try a real AU and put Emma and Killian at the beach, one of my favorite places. I didn't start for a writing for a while later (we'll celebrate that anniversary too) but I thought I'd share to give those of you who have read along from the beginning a bit of random A/N history.**

Chapter 38: Killian

"Hello?" Killian answered his cell phone.

"Killian?" An elderly voice asked.

"Yes?"

The line crackled and then the voice became clearer. "Killian, it's Beverly. Sorry about that, I must have been in a bad service area. How are you?" The owner of his condo asked.

With a start Killian realized that it had already become mid-September, a hint of fall in the air and less than two months before his lease was supposed to end.

"I ah, I'm good. How are you?" He managed to ask, brain churning over the prospect of finding another place to live.

"Good, good. Bill and I are having a great time down here. How has the town treated you this summer?" Beverly wanted to know.

Killian couldn't help but smile, thinking back over the tourist season he had spent in the tiny seaside town. "Oh it has been rather kind to me. It's truly beautiful here. I ended up working at a marina in Dewey and filling in as the piano player at Coconut's." Killian told her.

"Oh that's wonderful! I see Rita did her job of finding you musical work." Beverly said.

"She did. Your list of suggestions was also rather helpful. I'm very fond of the crepes Betsy makes." Killian replied.

Beverly sighed wistfully. "Oh I miss those crepes. Now forgive me for sounding like a meddling grandmother, but have you found anyone? I'd hate to see such a nice boy like yourself alone."

Killian laughed. Beverly sounded exactly like a meddling grandmother but Killian found he didn't mind. He had a feeling she was the cheek pinching type to send you home with a dozen cookies too. "I have. There was a lass that caught my eye not long after arriving here and we've recently started dating."

On the other end of the line Beverly clapped. "Wonderful. I wonder if we know her."

Killian hesitated for a moment unsure of how to reply. "Her name is Emma Swan. She works at Mad Hatter Auto and is a waitress at Coconut's during the summertime."

"Hmm." Beverly replied, thinking hard. "Oh, Emma! Is she blonde? Friends with Rachelle, although that girl hasn't gone by her given name since she was a child."

Killian laughed again. He had nearly forgotten Ruby's first name, so used to calling her by her nickname like everyone else. "Yes, that's her."

"Beautiful girl. I don't know if we've ever spoken but I'm sure she's wonderful." Beverly said.

"Yes. She is." Killian replied, finding himself pleasantly surprised and pleased that a woman he barely even knew would speak so highly of his girlfriend.

"Ah, now I suppose you're wondering why I'm calling. Not as though I don't mind just catching up with my favorite tenant." Beverly said changing the subject.

"Aren't I your only tenant?" Killian asked catching on quickly.

"That's semantics. Anyway, I know we initially told you that your lease would run through October, but I was curious to see if you'd be interested in staying on longer? Bill and I haven't been able to decide what we want to do with the condo and if you're there…" She trailed off.

Killian breathed a sigh of relief. "That would be great actually. The summer has passed by so quickly hasn't realized how near the end of my lease term I was. I'd be glad to stay on. How long would you like me to stay?"

"At least through the end of the year. I know that's only a little over three months and may not be worth it for you, but we're not ready to come back just yet." Beverly answered.

"No, that's fine. Really. It's quite fascinating here during the summer that I'd love to see the contrast in the winter." Killian replied.

"Splendid. I'll let Bill know. We'll keep in contact with you to let you know what we'll do at the end of the year, but please don't feel obligated to wait on us. If you plan on staying another year and find somewhere else, don't pass it up because of an indecisively elderly couple." Beverly told him.

Killian laughed. "I promise I won't."

"Good, now I'll let you get back to your afternoon. We'll keep in touch. Thank you so much Killian." She said.

"You're quite welcome. Continue to have a lovely time in Florida." He told her and disconnected the call.

-/-

Anna had thrown her arms around his neck before he had seen her coming. They were shutting down the marina for the season. "I don't care how unprofessional it is to hug an employee. You don't care right?" she asked him words tumbling from her lips at record speed, worry lines marring her features.

He awkwardly patted her on the back. "I don't."

Her face lit up again. "Oh good!" She squeezed him tight. ""You're just the best employee we've ever had. Well, you're kind of the only employee we've ever had but that doesn't matter. You've been simply wonderful to us Killian and we really can't thank you enough. I have no idea where we would be this summer if you hadn't come in on the day that you did. It's like fate or something. I don't know that I believe in fate now that I think about it. Destiny maybe?"

"Perhaps it was just meant to be." Killian offered.

"It was something, that's for sure." Kris said coming up to join them. "Anna, hon, please let go of Killian."

"What? Oh right, sorry." Anna replied, releasing him with such force he had to brace himself not to stumble backward.

Kris shot him an apologetic glance, one of many that seemed to occur when they were in Anna's presence, but like all of the others, Killian waved it away.

Almost inhumanly energetic, a splash awkward and a tad overbearing, Killian found Anna endearing. He had never met anyone as eternally optimistic and welcoming as her and in a way, she was a breath of fresh air compared to most other people.

"Do you have any plans now that the tourist season is over?" Kris asked him.

"Nothing in particular although I quite like it here. I've been offered to stay in my condo until the end of this year, which is great. I really like the place. What about you? What do you two do over the winter?" Killian asked.

Kris and Anna exchanged a look that left Killian briefly wondering if it would have been better for him not to ask.

"Anna has some distant relative who runs a trading post somewhere in Alaska. His wife is about to give birth and they're short handed so we're going to help them out." Kris replied neutrally.

"Sounds...cold." Killian managed to offer.

"Oh I'm sure it will be fine. It's not like they live in an igloo. Well, actually Oren is a bit strange but I'm fairly certain he said their house is just shaped like an igloo. Or maybe it's near igloos. I can't remember. But we'll have layers of clothing and hardly spend any time outside so it will be fine. It's not like the Alaskans go on afternoon strolls. Wait, what if they do?" Anna rambled on.

"I would assume that would only be a summertime activity." Killian offered.

"I'm sure you are right." Anna declared.

"We really can't thank you enough for all of your help this summer. Anna is right, I'm not sure what we would have done without you." Kris said, holding out an envelope to Killian. "Here, take this."

Killian shook his head. "It's not necessary. Working here was all my pleasure."

"Take it." Kris pressed and Killian refused, back and forth until the envelope was shoved into his hand. He could feel the cash within.

He slid his fingernail under the corner of the envelope, catching the paper to pull back the flap. His eyes widened as he took in the amount of stack of bills within. He thrust the envelope back in the other man's direction. "Absolutely not. You have plans to remodel and add to this place. No way in hell am I taking your hard earned money when it could go towards that instead."

Kris folded his arms over his chest, refusing the envelope. "I barely paid you above minimum wage! We did well this season. Take it, you deserve it."

"I told you when you hired me it wasn't about the money. I simply wanted to work somewhere where I could be useful and you provided me with that. I need nothing else." Killian argued.

"You worked your ass off! I guarantee you half the reason we did so well is because of you. The jet skis were always cleaned and refueled before the next rental. The boats were kept in immaculate shape. Even the lot." Kris argued back.

"You let me take out the boats for personal excursions. That's bonus enough." Killian countered.

"You know the blue tip jar that sat at the register in the rental office?" Anna asked, butting in.

Killian nodded. The jar rarely had more than a handful of change or a few singles in it.

"The majority of the money in that envelope came from there. The customers loved you Killian! I had to constantly empty the jar and put the money in the safe. You earned it, seriously." Anna told him.

Killian felt himself flush with a mixture of pride and embarrassment. He had no idea the customers had made a special trip into the rental office to leave a tip for him. He had been asked here and there for one at the jet ski rental shed but had simply told the customers tips were not accepted. In his eyes he had done nothing special, simply coming to work each day with a smile on his face and an opportunity to spend time near the water. Killian looked at the cash in the envelope again.

He extracted a single hundred dollar bill. "I'll concede and accept this."

Anna and Kris looked at each other and Killian knew they were having a conversation without communicating.

"Fine." Kris said eventually, taking the envelope from Killian's outstretched hand. "But you promise me right now that if you're here next summer and wish to work here again, you let me pay you what I seen as fair from the start."

Killian thought about it for a moment and agreed with a nod of his head, holding out his hand for the other man to shake.

-/-

Feeling his own wave of melancholy at the end of the tourist season, Killian made his way to Coconut's to have a beer. The lack of patrons within startled him, as did seeing that one of the overflow dining rooms had already been closed off until they needed the extra space next year. He found Ruby at the bar and slid onto his usual stood, waiting for her to head over in his direction.

"Hey Killian! What brings you in?" Ruby asked.

"I spent the afternoon closing up the marina with Anna and Kris and thought I might reward myself with a cold adult beverage." Killian answered.

"Has it hit you yet?" Ruby asked. "The end of the season?"

Killian nodded, accepting the bottle she placed in front of him. "I think it's beginning to. You get used to it, I assume?"

"Oh yeah, in a week you'll be thrilled they're all gone." Ruby laughed.

She moved to the end of the counter and collected cash from another patron before coming back over to him. "So isn't your lease ending soon? Are you staying around?"

Killian hid the surprise from his face at her line of questioning. "It is, or rather it was. Yesterday I got a call from the condo owners and they let me know they still haven't decided whether they want to stay in Florida permanently or not and have asked me if I'd be willing to extend my lease throughout the end of the year. I agreed." Killian replied.

"Have you mentioned any of this to Emma by chance?" Ruby asked.

"No, why?" Killian asked.

"Don't be dense, blue eyes. Emma is worried that you're going to leave but is being stubborn and refusing to ask you about it." Ruby told him.

Realization dawned on Killian. It explained why Emma had been slightly more distant recently. "Ah, I hadn't thought about that. I'll let her know tonight. We have plans for dinner."

-/-

"They're all gone." She said with a sigh, looking wistfully out the window at the empty street.

"Who is?" Killian asked, concerned.

"The tourists." Emma replied as though the answer were obvious.

"I seem to remember meeting a lass this past April who wasn't fond of tourists; the kind that came for a week's vacation or those who stayed around longer. 'Extended tourist' I believe she called them. Funny thing, this lass looked an awful lot like you." Killian teased her.

Emma rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not fond of tourists. They make finding long-term rentals hell, they can't drive for shit, they get in the way of everything and they make fifty miles in either direction a driving nightmare. But they put money in my pocket and they bring this town to life. I spend half more than half the year being able to drive the speed limit and not wait in ridiculously long lines. The town is sleepy and quiet and everything moves at a slower pace. Then May rolls around and it's like a switch flips. Everything is busy and hectic and crazy. And then before you know it, it's September and the switch has been flipped again. I mean, I obviously don't hate them or I wouldn't live in a resort town but it's an adjustment." Emma explained.

Killian nodded. "I suppose I'd never thought of it like that, but it makes sense. I had a bit of a similar feeling closing up the marina with Kris and Anna today."

"Do you remember that feeling on the Fourth of July? How it felt like the entire town had come alive; how you could practically feel the excitement and energy in the air? Winter here is the opposite, but it's somehow the same. It's like a calm peacefulness. You breathe in the cold air a little deeper and walk a little slower and it's like you can feel the buildings sleeping, just waiting to be needed again next season. That probably sounds ridiculous." Emma said abruptly, blushing slightly.

Killian reached his hand out across the table to cover hers. "Not at all love. It's a beautiful description of the contrast in seasons here."

"Are either of you interested in dessert?" The waitress asked, breaking them out of their spell.

Killian looked to Emma who shook her head slightly. "No thank you, just the check please."

"So you closed up the marina today? Now what?" Enma asked him.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps enjoying the dwindling pace of the town. Kris tried to give me a ridiculous bonus today which I refused." He answered, grabbing the check before she was able to.

"I thought we agreed I could pay for dinner sometimes." Emma commented, raising her eyebrows at him.

Killian shrugged. "You can. Kris insisted on some sort of bonus so I accepted a hundred dollars and it bought us dinner."

"Hmm. I guess it's okay then." Emma mused.

"I had another interesting conversation today." Killian said, sliding her hand in his as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Oh yeah? With who?" Emma asked.

"Beverly; the owner of my condo." He replied, picking up on the slight hitch in her step.

"Really? What for?" She asked and he could tell she was struggling to keep her voice neutral.

"She and Bill are unable to decide if they want to sell the condo or not. They've asked me to stay on through the end of the year." Killian replied.

He felt her relax slightly. she turned her head to his and smiled. "That's great news." She said but he could tell she was still holding back. He expected her to ask what would happen after the year end, but she remained silent.

The drive back to her cottage was quick, Killian was surprised at just how much busier tourists made the town. The first lyrics of a popular Marvin Gaye song were just beginning to play when he pulled to a stop in her driveway.

Feeling impulsive, Killian turned up the radio and grabbed Emma's hand, pulling her across the bench seat and out of the drivers side door.

"What-" she started to ask but he cut her off.

"Dance with me." He asked.

"Here?" She replied incredulously.

"I see no better of a place." He said, tugging her closer to him and wrapping his hands around her waist.

With a slight shake of her head and roll of her eyes, she gave in, arms going around his neck as her hips swayed with his.

"You've never danced under the stars?" He asked softly.

"Nope." Emma replied.

"Perhaps you should add it to your bucket list then cross it off." He suggested.

"I'm pretty sure that's not how it works." She replied.

He was about to tell her that there were no rules to bucket lists when out of nowhere fat raindrops cascaded down from the sky. Emma turned to run for the cover of her porch but he held onto her. "It's just a little rain. Finish dancing this song with me."

Emma offered him another look as though she thought he was crazy, but remained there, still swaying with him as they both got drenched. "I can't even hear the music. The song could be over."

Killian shrugged. "I can't either. I suppose we'll just have to improvise."

He ducked his head, resting his lips near her temple and picked up where the music had been drowned out by the pouring rain.

"Don't you want to know, Emma?" He asked a few moments later.

"Know what?" She asked, tilting her head up to his confused.

He removed his arm from her waist and brushed the wet tendrils of her hair off her cheek and behind her ear. "What I'm doing next year."

"Oh, um." She hesitated breaking eye contact.

He tightened his grip on her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before tilting his head to meet her eye. "Staying, Emma. I have no plans to leave. I love it here. The town is friendly, the location is beautiful and then there's this stunning blonde I can't seem to get out of my head."

"Shut up." She whispered at his compliment.

Killian shrugged as though he were considering it, but then he realized there were better things to do if she wasn't going to listen to his compliments. Ducking his head, he captured her lips in a searing kiss, swallowing her surprised gasp.


	39. Chapter 39

**Sorry I'm sharing this with you so late. It's been a hectic couple of days. Enjoy!**

Chapter 39: Emma

 _He's staying, he's staying, he's staying!_ Her brain sing-songed to her in a childlike voice. She bit down on her lip hard, trying to force the corners of her mouth from turning upward, but the effort was futile. Giving up, she broke out into a full on smile, feeling the strain of her cheeks as the smile widened.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt this carefree and truly happy. It shocked her a bit, having this much of her emotional state being wrapped up in a man she had only known for a few short months.

Her arms tightened around him squeezing as hard as she possible could, trying to physically expel the waves of happiness radiating off of her. She felt as though she could run a marathon or complete a series of backflips without even breaking a sweat.

"Careful, love." He groaned. "You'll squeeze the stuffing right out of me."

Her grip loosened, her fingers sliding under the wet cotton of his shirt and tracing up the ridges of his spine. She turned her face into his neck, nuzzling her nose against the dampened skin. "Sorry."

His chin came to rest on top of her head. "Quite alright. Now forgive me for the cliche but perhaps we could get out of these wet clothes?"

Emma laughed, removing her hands from his back and linking both of her hands in his. Blinking against the onslaught of rain pounding down on them, she tilted her head up to meet his eyes. "This was your idea you know." She reminded him.

"That it was. Although I didn't plan on the rain." He admitted.

"Well come on, we can't have you getting sick." She replied, tugging on his hands and pulling him towards the cottage.

"Hold on a minute." He said, dropping her hand to cross the short distance to his truck. He turned off the headlights and pulled the keys out of the ignition before following Emma to the porch.

She flipped her head upside down and twisted her hair together, squeezing it to remove as much of the excess rainwater as possible and then kicked off her flip flops in the opposite direction. They both wrung out their clothes as much as possible but Emma knew the second they stepped inside they'd still leave a puddle. She had also cranked up the air conditioning as it had been a scorcher earlier in the day and she knew that the blast of cold air was going to be less than welcoming.

"It's going to be freezing inside. I forgot to turn the a/c back down before I left today. I think it's best we just run directly to the shower." Emma said.

Killian smirked. "I have no complaints about you wanting to shower with me. It's kinda our thing."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Come on Casanova." She teased, opening the front door and bracing herself for the rush of arctic air to hit her. Goosebumps erupted immediately over her flesh and she winced at the chill before taking off in a full sprint to the bathroom.

She had turned the water to nearly as hot as it would go and was struggling to pull off her wet clothing when Killian came in. "What took you so long?" She asked, teeth chattering.

"I thought it best to close your front door and turn down the air conditioning." Killian replied.

"Good thinking. Get undressed!" She said, stepping into the shower.

"I like it when your commanding." He replied.

Emma laughed. "Then I command you to get your ass into the shower."

"I have a better idea." Killian replied.

"What's that?" Emma asked, bouncing from foot to foot, desperate to just get warm.

"Do you have bubbles?" He asked.

Emma blinked twice before realizing what he had meant. "Oh yeah, under the sink. But it takes forever for the tub to fill up. We'll freeze before then."

"Shh."He replied, pulling one of her towels off of the rack and wrapping it around her naked form. She immediately crossed her arms in front of her, trying to contain her body heat.

She couldn't help but admire the view as he crouched down to open the cabinets under her sink. His shorts rode low on his hips and the wet cotton of his shirt clung to his back, outlining his spine and shoulder blades. Turning around and catching her, he winked before switching off the shower and pulling up the drain stopper to fill the tub. He added a generous amount of bubbles into the water and returned the bottle to under the sink.

He tugged her closer with a pull of his hand then placed his hands on her forearms, rubbing up and down to warm her up while they waited for the tub to fill up. When it was halfway full she reached forward and tugged on the hem of his shirt. "I think you're a little overdressed."

Killian raised his arms to allow her to pull the wet t-shirt over his head. "You'd probably win a male wet t-shirt contest, you know." She said absently, fingers moving to his belt.

He laughed. "Do they actually have those?"

"I have no idea." Emma replied honestly, eyes roaming over his chest. "I'm…" She started before pausing, feeling silly. "I'm not good at compliments and you're always complimenting me and I'm trying to return the favor, here."

She watched as his chest puffed out, his stance widening. It reminded her slightly of a proud peacock ready to strut around but she didn't dare utter that thought out loud. "Are you?" He flirted.

Emma rolled her eyes at him but she was pleased at how no matter what he always managed to make her feel at ease. "Yeah. I am. I'm trying to tell you that I think you're hot." She threw a look over her shoulder and saw the bubbles rising to the top of the tub. "It looks like our bath is ready and you're still wearing too many clothes. Maybe I'll continue if you remedy that." She tossed her towel onto the counter behind him and crossed the short distance to the tub, turning off the water.

She dipped her hand in first, pleased to find the water at the perfect temperature. With her back still to Killian she could hear him undressing but decided not to wait and stepped into the sea of bubbles, sinking down immediately. "Oh God," She groaned, eyes slipping closed. "I forgot how amazing a hot bath feels."

"I hope you're interested in sharing." Killian replied. She felt him step into the tub by the movement of the water but opted to keep her eyes closed, enjoying the soak in the hot water.

He sat down and pulled her towards him, her back resting against his chest, her legs in between his. Emma immediately leaned back, resting her head against his shoulder. Killians hands slid around her waist and he let out a content sigh. "Now, what were you saying?" He asked, voice rough and low in her ear.

She smiled, clasping her hands over his. "Fishing for compliments are we?"

She felt him shrug in reply.

"I'm not telling you anything you don't know. You're hot. Incredibly good looking." Emma replied.

"Is it vain to say that I like hearing you say that?" He asked.

"I don't think so. I don't just like you because of your pretty face you know." She said feeling more comfortable continuing because they weren't face to face.

"Oh?" He said, sounding surprised and Emma frowned. She knew she wasn't good with words but she hadn't realized her lack of ability to express herself meant Killian didn't understand how much she felt for him.

"Well, I mean your eyes are the most gorgeous shade of blue I've ever seen and I'm jealous of your eyelashes, but no that isn't all." She said trying to keep it lighthearted. "You're patient and kind and you get me. I mean, really get me. You know when to push me and when to back off. You're incredibly talented musically and you're nice to everyone. You make people feel comfortable around you."

Stubble scratched her cheek as he pressed a kiss there. "Thank you, love." He said a bit gruffly.

Beneath the water, her fingers squeezed over his. "I'm sorry I'm not good with words and this sounds so juvenile, but I really like you."

"It doesn't sound juvenile at all love and I assure you, I share the sentiment entirely." He replied.

She laid back against him letting the warm water and gentle lavender fragrance of the bubbles relax her, focusing on the gentle rise and fall of his chest at her back.

"The water is getting cool love, shall we rinse off?" He asked softly.

She groaned, not wanting to move from the comfortable position they were in. He chuckled at her reluctance, standing up slowly and pulling up the drain stopper. Emma leaned forward, turning on the water once again and switching it to the shower head. She moved under the hot water first, rinsing the lingering bubbles from her skin. She massaged shampoo into her hair, scooting out of the way for Killian to rinse off as well. She could help but watch as the water droplets rolled down his shoulder blades and over the curve of his backside before disappearing down his thighs.

"I kind of like when you leer at me." He teased, catching her eye as he turned to look over his shoulder.

Emma flushed. "Leering makes it sound creepy." They traded places for her to wash the shampoo from her hair.

He grinned. "I like it when a woman as gorgeous as yourself ogles me." He amended. "Less creepy?"

She nodded, leaning forward to turn off the shower and stepping out onto the bath mat. She grabbed the other towel for Killian and handed it to him before reaching for her own. "Can you stay?" She asked, knowing the likely answer was no because he needed to get home to take Brinkley on his final walk for the evening.

Killian nodded. "I'll need to leave early to avoid cleaning up any dog mess."

She hung up their damp clothing over the shower curtain rod, annoyed that she didn't have a dryer in her cottage. She loaned Killian the largest pair of pajama bottoms she had and debated on giving him back the shirt she had borrowed when she stayed the night at his place for the first time, but decided against it.

She'd keep it a little longer. Surely it wasn't hurting anything to keep him sans shirt. "Is it too early for bed?" She asked.

"Not at all." He replied, crossing the room and pulling down her bedding.

Emma twisted her hair into a bun and joined him unable to stop herself from sighing when she slipped between sheets, the soft comfort of her bed enveloping her.

Killian tugged her closer to him until her back pressed against his chest. Emma felt her eyes begin to get heavy almost immediately. "I'm really glad you're staying." She whispered into the dark.

"I'm glad you want me to." His whispered back.

-/-

Killian had left really early the next morning, a chaste kiss pressed to her forehead as he says goodbye. Surprisingly Emma had barely woken up, instead she had mumbled something that could be interpreted as "goodbye" and burrowed herself further under the covers until her alarm woke her a few hours later.

She took another shower, desperately needing conditioner for her hair. Once she was dressed and ready to go, she flipped through the channels on tv not really paying attention to anything.

She was accompanying Ruby on her hunt for a wedding dress. Emma was going because Ruby had asked her and she knew it was the right thing to do for her friend, but the whole process felt daunting and overwhelming. It made Emma uncomfortable with how much attention they would be getting from salespeople. Ruby had mentioned looking at maid of honor dresses while they were there but Emma hoped they'd be too focused on finding something for Ruby instead.

-/-

"So how was dinner last night?" Ruby asked.

"Good. How did you know I was going to dinner with Killian?" Emma wanted to know.

"He stopped in the bar for lunch. Anything interesting happen?" Ruby questioned and Emma frowned, realizing why Ruby was pressing her for information.

"He told me he's staying but I think you already knew that." Emma replied.

"We were talking about what was happening with his lease and I asked if he had spoken with you about it yet." Ruby told her. "I didn't tell him you were freaking out about it. I just said maybe he should make sure you're aware of his plans. So you're okay now, now that you know he's staying?"

"Yeah." Emma replied unable keep the small smile from breaking out on her face.

"What's that look?" Ruby demanded.

"There's no look. Why are you looking at me? You're driving." Emma replied immediately. After a beat and no response from Ruby she continued. "We had a romantic-cliche night. Like something out of a damn Nicholas Sparks book."

"Continue." Ruby said, purposely staring straight ahead at the road.

"So he takes me home after dinner and decides that we're going to slow dance in the headlights of his truck. Then it started pouring and he made no move to go inside, so we're completely soaked slow dancing in my front yard. Then instead of a shower to get warm, he insists on a bubble bath." Emma replied quickly feeling silly about sharing it.

Ruby let out a low whistle. "I'm gonna have to ask him to give Victor some suggestions in the romance department.

-/-

"Hi there, how may I help you?" The redhead behind the rounded counter asked.

"Hi. I have an appointment with Lisa. I'm Ruby." Ruby replied.

"Ah, yes. If you'd like to look around the accessories we have here or take a seat, Lisa will be with you momentarily."

Emma followed Ruby over to the display of accessories, eyes widening over the amount of bling staring back at them. "Shiny." She muttered.

Ruby chuckled. "I'll take that to assume you don't want a tiara then."

"Why the hell would a maid of honor need a tiara? You're not royalty." Emma asked.

"It was a joke, blondie. Calm down. No tiaras for you." Ruby replied, picking up a fascinator decorated in pearls.

"Hi, are you Ruby?" A petite brunette came up to them.

"I am. This is Emma, my maid of honor." Ruby replied, shaking the other woman's outstretched hand.

"I'm Lisa. Do you know what type of dress you want to try on?" The consultant asked.

"Not really. I keep changing my mind. I like more fitted dresses but I'm not against a larger skirt either. I don't want the dress to overwhelm me. I'm drawn to classic styles but I don't want to look boring." Ruby replied.

Emma felt her eyebrows raise. She didn't expect Ruby to be drawn to classic styles. She figured her friend would be a bride in one of the more risqué dresses or something completely unusual and unique to her.

Lisa nodded as though she had heard this many times before and would have no issues finding a dress with such conflicting style choices. "Let's have you try on the common styles, Ball Gown, mermaid, a-line, strapless and then you can pick and choose what aspects you like or don't like about the dress. What is your budget?"

"Twenty-five hundred, but I'd like that to include a veil and alternations." Ruby answered.

Emma felt her eyebrows go up again, her stomach churning slightly at the thought of spending so much money on a dress that was only worn for a few hours.

"Follow me back to the dresses and we'll get started." Lisa said.

"Calm down." Ruby whispered to her. "Victor's dad gave us a chunk of change and said he wanted an open bar and his future daughter-in-law to look gorgeous. I'd never spend this kind of money on my own but dresses are so expensive and this really helps our tiny budget."

Ruby and Lisa pulled a variety of dresses off the rack, holding them out for opinions. Emma almost immediately felt overwhelmed; lost in a sea of silk and satin, lace and beading.

Ruby tried on a classic ball gown first, strapless with a full skirt or tulle billowing from her waist to the floor. The bodice was detailed, with scalloped lace at the bust leading into lace and beading before the tulle began.

Emma struggled to keep a straight face. Ruby looked nothing like herself in the dress. "Okay. I am not a ball gown kind of girl. We can cross this off the list. I look like an upside down cupcake."

Emma snorted, no longer able to keep a straight face. The next gown was a simple a-line with capped lace sleeves and a scoop neck and very short train. "It's too boring you for." She told Ruby.

"Agree. It doesn't scream 'this is my wedding day' at all." Ruby replied, stepping off the round base and heading back into the dressing room.

They were told the third dress was a modified mermaid style. It was all lace with a slender lavender ribbon under the bust. "Better. I like the ribbon for color." Ruby said.

"The back of it is gorgeous." Emma told her, pointing to the deep scoop accentuating Ruby's shoulder blades.

"Oh yeah, I really like that. What other dresses have that?" Ruby asked Lisa.

"Tons. Let keep trying on dresses until we find the bodice and skirt style that you like and then we'll find dresses that put it all together." The consultant advised.

The next dress was a floaty chiffon with a deep v-neck and beading under the bust. "This is the style." Ruby said. "Right?" She asked Emma.

The dress molded over Ruby's hips perfectly, floating away into a mid-length train. It was perfect for the more casual style wedding that Ruby and Victor we're going to have. "Definitely."

"Alright." Lisa said. "Let's get you out of this dress and back into your clothes so we can make a second go-round of chiffon dresses with deep backs."

The second round of dresses were all gorgeous in their own way and Emma knew it was without a doubt the style that Ruby would choose, but the perfect dress never came.

"It's early." Ruby said. "I have months to find a dress. We'll keep looking. Thanks for your help Lisa."

-/-

"Thank you for not making me try on dresses." Emma said, relief evident in her voice as she sank into Ruby's car.

"It's not like you're getting out of it entirely." Ruby replied. "I'm just done for today and I figured you would be too."

"Are you okay with not finding a dress today?" Emma asked.

"Yeah I'm fine. I wasn't expecting to find something right away. I'll give it another week or two and schedule another appointment somewhere else. So, have you thought about your birthday plans yet?" Ruby asked changing the subject.

"No. It's nearly a month away." Emma replied. She never planned anything big for her birthday and usually just went out to lunch or dinner with Ruby.

"Does Killian even know when your birthday is?" Ruby questioned.

"Umm." Emma said thinking back to previous conversations they had to see if they had ever discussed it. "I don't think so. I mean he knows it's in October but I don't think I ever told him the day."

"Time to remedy that." Ruby replied slipping out her phone and firing off a text. Her phone chimed back in a matter of seconds. "He said duly noted and that his is January 26th in case you didn't know."

"Great. How do you have Killian's number?" Emma asked. She didn't care, she was just curious to know when they had exchanged numbers.

"Oh um." Ruby said an Emma immediately knew by her tone that she might not like the answer. "So remember that day when we were at Coconut's and you told me I better not let David catch me texting Victor? I wasn't. Texting Victor I mean. I had ran into Killian earlier that day and he told me about the hot chocolate he was going to make for you and I volunteered to let him know when you were clocking out that night."

"Ruby!" Emma exclaimed. "You both hid that from me all summer? WTF?"

"Well I sure as fuck wasn't going to tell you then. If I had, you'd never have walked out that door and had hot chocolate with Killian. And then you wouldn't be dating him now. It's not like I purposely kept it from you once you got together with him. It just never came up until now." Ruby explained.

"You've been meddling from the beginning!" Emma wasn't angry, not really, she was more disappointed that her friend had chosen to meddle and never tell her about it.

"You're all starry eyed now but think to back then. All I did was told him what time you were leaving. Knowing Killian he would have sat there all night waiting for you, despite the weather. So really, I stopped him from freezing." Ruby countered.

Emma paused, thinking back to how cold and distant she was with Killian at that time. She considered Ruby's point, that she still could have walked right past him and never tried the hot chocolate or talked to him. Granted, it wasn't one of her finer moments because she had accused him of potentially poisoning her, but the point was Ruby merely giving him the time had no effect on what happened thereafter.

"You're right." Emma conceded. "Is there anything else like this though? You guys don't talk about me right?"

"There's nothing else and no we don't talk about you." Ruby replied.

"Good. Because that would be weird." Emma replied.

"You're weird." Ruby retorted.

"And you're five." Emma said laughing.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Killian

"We should go to the apple scrapple festival." Emma said.

"The what?" Killian asked wondering if he had misheard her.

"Apple scrapple." She repeated, slower that time.

"Surely you're making that up love." He had no idea what scrapple was, assuming it to be just a made up word to rhyme with apple. _Although,_ his mind wondered, _to make up the name of a festival perhaps it's more than just a rhyme._

"I'm not! It's a real festival. The eastern shore has lots of strange festivals. Hell, Snow Hill blesses their farm equipment." Emma replied.

"She's telling the truth." Ruby had waited until that moment to chime in. Killian arched an eyebrow at her.

"And what exactly is scrapple?" He asked. By the immediate grimace both women made he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

"Err…" Emma started, clearing trying to think of a way to describe it.

"You don't want to know." Ruby replied and Killian sensed she was telling the truth. However, now that they were on the topic…

"Clearly. Anything that contains the word scrap it in clearly isn't fit for human consumption. Why does this exist?" He asked looking back and forth between them.

It's a...breakfast patty of sorts. Made from pork, I think. The factory that makes it is in the town where the hold the festival. So I guess they decided to be cute and have a festival with it and apples so the name would rhyme." Emma explained.

Killian accepted her response, still not sure he wanted to attend a festival in honor of a disturbingly named breakfast item. "Do we have to eat it?"

"Definitely not!" Ruby replied immediately, shuddering at the thought.

"No. We can just eat the apples." Emma told him.

-/-

The leaves had just started to change, hints of yellows and reds and oranges taking over what was once green. Killian inhaled deeply taking in the crisp scent of fall that had found its way to the salty sea air.

The beach restrictions for animals had been lifted for the year and Brinkley was all too happy about it, trotting down the beach with an extra bounce in his step. Killian threw the frisbee, watching as Brinkley took off after it. He couldn't help but remember just six months ago, on the very same beach, throwing the very same frisbee that he was to meet Emma for the first time. The air had been chilled then but held the softness of spring, the knowledge that sunshine and warmth would be soon upon them.

He hasn't expected to meet her. To meet anyone actually. His plan had simply been for a change of scenery, to get away from the painful memories and continue on his near hermit-like state. He had underestimated small town life and the town itself; friendly faces, a genuine hello and a desire to make a newcomer feel welcome. And Emma. The beautiful blonde lass with sky high walls that had intrigued him from the moment he laid eyes on her.

He grinned, thinking of how far they had come in only a short period of time. Just over two months of being her friend, proving to her that he was the trustworthy sort had blossomed into a wonderful relationship. In all honesty, he had expected it to take longer, and that was when he dared to hope it would even happen at all.

When Brinkley trotted back over to him and dropped down in the sand after releasing the frisbee, Killian knew he had had enough. Killian joined him for a few moments, sitting in the chilled sand. Memories continued to flit through his mind. The first time he encountered Emma on the beach, the night she had allowed him to tuck her into his side for warmth against the chilly air, the sparks of energy bouncing between them as they watched the fireworks, and the night of Ruby's engagement, the first very serious conversation they had. Killian was worried he had revealed too much and would push Emma away but nothing of the sort had happened. Instead it felt like it had brought them closer, another layer of bricks tumbling down from the fortress surrounding her heart.

A wet nose nuzzled against his cheek, pulling him from his memories. "Ready to go, are we?" He asked Brinkley who replied with a short bark.

Making his way back down the main drag, the sweet scent of fruit and sugar assaulted his nostrils, a pain of nostalgia stopping him in his tracks. "I need a crepe. Perhaps she'll even give you some bacon." Killian told his dog, redirecting them in the direction of Betsy's crepes.

"Well hello stranger." She greeted him as soon as he stepped inside.

"Hello Betsy. It has been a while hadn't it?" He asked.

"If I was counting I'd say it was over a month. But I'm not, because that's a meddling old-lady thing to do." She replied.

"Which clearly you aren't. I suppose with all the tourists gone it will be much easier for Brinkley and I to visit." He said, tilting his head in the direction of the door which Brinkley sat on the opposite side of.

"Poor pup, stuck outside. I'll get him some bacon. What would you like?" She asked him.

Killian nearly laughed. It was quite obvious food for him was an afterthought, Betsy's sole focus was on providing a salty treat to his dog. "Sausage, egg and cheese, if it's no trouble."

"Not a bit." She replied and hurried back into the kitchen.

Killian sat down at one of the tables, angling his body so he could see out the window to keep an eye on Brinkley.

"Is it just you out there?" Betsy called from the kitchen.

"Aye, only me." Killian replied.

"If you want to get yourself a cup of coffee, I won't shoot you for going behind the counter." She told him.

Killian stifled another laugh as he noticed the new sign hanging from the swinging door, giving access to the counter and kitchen. It read _Enter at your own risk. Armed with more than just whipped cream._

"And what prompted your new sign?" Killian asked. "Surely you didn't have a break in?"

"Not a break in but some teenagers in need of parental guidance though it would be funny to come behind the counter and fill every mug with coffee. They sure were scared when I came in with a baseball bat. Started tripping all over their feet to escape, apologies falling from their lips." Betsy told him.

Killian felt his eyes widen. "What was your staff doing?"

"They were stuck in the kitchen. One of the boys had moved a chair in front of the door keeping it closed." Betsy replied.

"So much for a sleepy, family resort." Killian muttered, shocked at how quickly he had adapted to the small town sense of security that nothing of the sort would happen. "Did you go to the police? Press charges?"

Betsy came out from the kitchen, carrying his crepe in one hand and a plate of bacon for Brinkley in the other. She shook her head. "Wasted coffee and additional dishes wasn't that big of a deal. Had they gone after the cash register or hurt my staff; that'd be different. But I followed them out onto the boardwalk where we ran into their parents. After explaining what they had done and the look on their parents faces, I'm fairly certain that was the end of their vacation."

She crossed the length of the small shop and opened the door, bending down to allow the smell of bacon to waft in Brinkley's direction. He was up and at her feet in a matter of seconds. "You can come in, but you need to be quiet and out of sight, yeah?"

Brinkley replied by nosing at her hand, trying to get closer to the plate of bacon. Betsy laughed, letting him slip past her inside and placing the plate behind Killian's table.

"Are you sure?" Killian asked, nodding in the direction of his dog who was currently inhaling a slice of bacon.

Betsy waved him off. "It will be fine. So tell me what you've been up to."

Killian took a deep breath, unsure of where to begin. After a bite of his crepe he answered. "Beverly and Bill aren't ready to come back from Florida yet. They've asked me to stay on through the end of the year."

"Oh yeah? Whatcha going to do after?" She asked,taking a seat across from him.

"Honestly, I'd like to stay here. The town has really grown on me." He answered.

"Does that have anything to do with a particular blonde you might have run into this past spring?" She phrased it as a question but Killian knew she was merely asking for the sake of conversation.

He smirked at her. "Perhaps. Have you talked to her recently?"

"I haven't, but I have spoken with Rita. Poor thing was upset her niece didn't have a chance with you." She gave him a knowing look.

"Well, uh…" Killian shrugged, not sure how to reply.

"Like I told you before, you're good for her and I think she is good for you. I've not changed my mind, I'm thrilled she managed to let her walls down enough to let you in. A bit disappointed I had to hear it from a gossip rather than the source, but I suppose I'll let it go. Although, now I must ask you. What are your intentions?" Betsy's voice changed from light and teasing to deadly serious.

In that moment, Killian had a fleeting idea of how terrified those teenagers must have been when she chased them out with a baseball bat. "Honorable of course." He stuttered out.

She held his gaze, unblinking and waiting for him to continue, harsh expression never leaving her face.

"I could see myself falling in love with her." He found himself saying, the sincerity in his tone evident.

Betsy's expression softened. "You're not as skittish as she is, so I'm going to hope I won't scare you off by saying this, but you're already in love with her. I can see it in your eyes."

Killian's lips parted, but no sound came out. He realized Betsy was right. He knew he felt strongly for Emma but equated it to lust and a strong level of affection. He had thought after losing his brother his heart was too broken to even consider the concept of love.

Betsy's eyes narrowed. "Don't go telling her yet though. She's not ready to hear it. She'll…"

"Panic and run." Killian finished the woman's thought. "Followed by pushing me away."

"At least you are more than just a pretty face." Betsy said, lightening the conversation. "Don't rush it. You'll know when the time is right to tell her."

"I hope you're right." Killian found himself saying, his mind already beginning to play through different scenarios that could happen if he told her.

Betsy tapped her head. "You don't get this much gray hair without learning a thing or two."

Despite himself Killian laughed. "Gray? It looks lilac to me. I thought you were being stylish like all the young ones."

Beverly laughed heartily at his words. "Such a charmer. Now I fully expect one of you to keep me updated with this blossoming romance of yours and since we both know it won't be her…"

"You know how private she is. I'm not interested in starting an argument with her when she finds out." Killian replied.

Betsy frowned and then grinned.

"Were you just testing me?" Killian asked, shocked.

The woman let out a noise of discontent before shaking her head. "Not intentionally. Once the words were out of my mouth I thought about how she'd react and thought better of it."

"I'll tell you of any large developments in the relationship before you have to find them out from Rita, how does that sound? But it Emma finds out and is upset, you'd better help me out." Killian replied.

"Deal." She said, reaching her hand across the table for a shake.

He shook her hand and pushed the empty plate in front of him off to the side. "Now, since I'm in the presence of a knowledgeable woman like yourself, how about you explain to me what this blasted creation called scrapple is since Emma wants to go to a festival for it."

Betsy laughed so hard she snorted, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth at the offending noise. "Dear boy. Let me educate you. But you'll need another cup of coffee for this."

She refilled the cup and placed it in front of him. "How squeamish are you?"

"Not overly. Why?" Killian asked.

"Scrapple is whatever leftover pork trimmings there are, combined with cornmeal, wheat flour and spices and formed into a block. You slice it up, fry it and eat it. Most people prefer it with ketchup. The south has a dish called liver mush which includes pork head, different seasonings and no flour." Betsy explained.

Killian frowned. "I know there are some similar dishes or ones that involve blood that are common on the other side of the pond, but I've never partaken. Scrapple sounds similar and personally, slightly revolting."

"The festival was named as such because scrapple is produced in the town and there's a nearby apple orchard. It's not food stall after food stall of scrapple, although they do sell it obviously. There's barbecue, crab cakes, fries, and more desserts than you can imagine. And there's a Sonic a few miles down the road in case you're still hungry." Betsy offered.

"Good to know. I appreciate your knowledge." Killian told her.

-/-

"I haven't been here in years." Ruby said. "It's nice to see that some things haven't changed. Parking has always been in this field and there's never been an admission fee."

Emma linked her hand in Killian's and they set off across the field toward Delaware Avenue and the sea of people and white tents holding vendor wares.

"It's much more crowded than I expected." Killian commented as they blended into the sea of other people, shuffling down the street and crisscrossing in front of others as needed to check out the items for sale.

"It's the good weather. This is probably the last event with a decent turnout before spring." Emma told him, pulling him and Ruby over to a table with handmade jewelry.

Killian stood off to the side admiring the pieces Emma picked up and tried on. She kept coming back to the same necklace, a round silver pendant. "Why don't you get it?" He asked scooting up next to her.

Emma shrugged. "I don't really wear jewelry. I just think it's cool because this stuff that looks like a stone is really pressed sand it says it's made with sand from the local beaches."

"That is really neat." He told her, reaching forward and slipping one of the vendor's business cards into his pocket. Even if Emma bought the necklace he was intrigued with the work and wanted to know what else the woman could make.

"I'll think about it," She told the woman on the other side of the tent. Turning to Killian and Ruby she asked if they were ready to get food.

They each ended up getting crab cake sandwiches for lunch and after seeing sign after sign indicating that apple dumplings with ice cream was the preferred festival treat, Killian couldn't pass up trying one.

The plastic fork cut easily through the flaky crust, cinnamon speckled juice running out into the plastic container. He made sure to get the crust, the apple and glaze, and some of the vanilla ice cream on his fork, wanting to taste everything at once.

The buttery crust was rich in his mouth, pairing with the silky vanilla ice cream and the sweet, slight crunch of the apples. "Oh this is delicious." He declared, scooping up another forkful of everything and holding it out to Emma.

She took the bite from him, eyebrows raising as the flavors combined on her tongue. She screwed and swallowed quickly, leaning over to Killian and not so patiently waiting for him to give her another bite. "I see why everyone gets this."

For the first time in a long time Killian found himself wishing he had bought two to not have to share with Emma. They divided the rest of the dumpling and ice cream between them, Killian licking his lips to remove any stray cinnamon sauce before tossing the plastic container in the trash.

They wandered over towards the middle school and found it was time for the skillet toss. Ruby complained they had missed the time to sign up but found watching was just as fun. Women of all ages hurled skillets down a spray-painted path. The skillet toss made way for the kids apple toss and they found themselves cheering on the young ones as they hurled apples towards distance markers.

Eventually they wandered back through the vendor tents, Ruby picking up a shell beaded bracelet she thought would go well with her wedding look and a festival designed tank top, a pig chasing an apple with _Apple-Scrapple 2015_ underneath in a swirled font. Killian found a new frisbee for Brinkley and a few other toys and Emma decided to purchase the necklace after all.

Killian fastened it behind her neck, the pendant rested just above her cleavage. "It's a good choice. It looks very pretty on you."

* * *

I really need to get ahead on posting! I hate that I'm proofreading the same day I'm sharing the chapter. Hopefully I'll get some time this weekend!

As for the story, the Apple-Scrapple festival is a real thing that takes place in Bridgeport, DE every October. It's being held the 14-15th this year and I'm going to try to go. I've never actually been, but I've had family go quite a few times.


	41. Chapter 41

I wanted to apologize for not responding to reviews. I've received a bunch of them on my phone, but when I try to reply, good old FFN tells me the message can't be found and they're not showing up in my reviews area. So, here's is a blanket "thank you so much for reading"

 **Princesseslikepirates** \- I hope you feel better! I have a feeling Betsy thinks of Brinkley as her grand-dog. :)  
 **Ronzu** \- Haha yes, Brinkley will get some more attention shortly.  
 **Kathy** \- thank you so much! There will be no deaths in this story. Promise!

And I'm sure there are some I missed so I'm sorry about that!

Chapter 41: Emma

With more force than necessary, Emma yanked open the file drawer to her desk, quickly looking through the hanging folders within. Not finding what she wanted she slammed the drawer shut, her stomach growling loudly in disappointment.

She rarely overslept, but it had happened this morning, waking up with just enough time to pull her hair into a bun while brushing her teeth and throwing on her clothes. She paused only long enough to swipe some mascara along her lashes, knowing trying to multitask that would likely result in the loss of an eye.

She hadn't ate much the night before and was starved. Her stomach was growling so loudly she was worried customers could hear it in the showroom. A few weeks ago she had tossed a granola bar or two in her desk for moments like this and of course now it was nowhere to be found. Emma had more than two hours until her lunch break and at this rate, her stomach was going to make its annoyance about that known as often as possible.

She hung her head, pulling open the center drawer of her desk and pushing aside the assortment of pens and highlighters within, hoping to find something other than a stick of gum to eat. The sweet sugary scent of cake wafted over to her nose. With her head still down she was convinced her mind was playing tricks on her. She inhaled deeply but the scent didn't disappear. And then she heard someone clearing their throat.

Looking up, Emma found Jeff standing in the doorway to the office, holding a carton of cupcakes. Her stomach growled loudly again, her hand coming up to cover it as she gave Jeff a sheepish smile. "Sorry I didn't have breakfast this morning and I'm starving."

"Good thing these are for you then." He told her, grinning.

"For me? Why?" Emma asked.

Jeff frowned. "Isn't your birthday tomorrow? I swear that's what your file said."

Emma raised her eyebrows, shocked. In the years that she had worked for Jeff at the auto shop, employee birthday celebrations were never a thing. If you were friendly enough with your coworkers, they might tell you "happy birthday" and sometimes there would be a cake in the breakroom in the morning, someone bringing in the leftovers from a party. Ruby was the only one who knew when her birthday was and last year had wished her a happy birthday and took her out to dinner after work.

"It is." She answered slowly still not processing the information.

"Well come on then. We're all in the break room waiting on you." Jeff said, gesturing in that direction with a nod of his head.

"Ruby put you up to this didn't she?" Emma asked. "She's always talking about embarrassing me on my birthday."

Jeff frowned. "No. I read your file." At the hesitant look Emma was giving him, he continued. "Grace told me that her teacher is going to make cupcakes for all of the kids in her class on their birthdays. Then she asked me if I did anything like that for my employees. And I felt bad. I don't even know when any of your birthdays are. Well, I didn't. I went through all of your files yesterday and copied birthdays to my phone."

"So I'm the first? That's awkward." Emma replied, still touched that Jeff had bothered to look up the information. He was very hands off with his employees.

"I'm not leaving a cupcake in here for you and taking the rest back to the break room. If you want this cupcake and judging by the sound of your growling stomach, I'm sure you do, you're coming with me. Surely you can handle your coworkers for 10 minutes." Jeff told her, anticipating her next comment.

Emma frowned. "I don't like being the center of attention."

"No, but you're starving and I have sugar. I'm sure you can get over it." Jeff replied, holding the cupcakes out and waving the box back and forth, trying to entice her with the sweet aroma.

Emma grumbled but stood up from her desk and headed towards him. "It's not nice to bribe your employees Jeff." She retorted.

He walked backwards the length of the hallway, making sure she was still behind him.

"I'm not a dog you're secretly luring to the vet. You don't need to make sure I'm following you. Come on, let's get this over with." She said, increasing her stride to fall in step with him.

He pulled open the door to the break room and gestures for her to go inside first. Emma tried not to wince as she took in all of her coworkers patiently waiting for her to arrive. She spotted Ruby at the table, an empty chair next to her and headed in that direction.

"Happy birthday, Emma!" Joe, one of the salesmen said, as she slid into the chair.

"Thanks." She answered quietly.

Jeff came to stand at the head of the table, placing the cupcakes down in front of him. Emma noticed there was a second container. "So in case you haven't figured it out, we're all gathered here for Emma's birthday. My daughter Grace was disappointed to find out I don't do anything for your birthdays and I decided to change that. Now I have all your birthdays saved in my phone and we'll have cupcakes or cake for each of them. Surprisingly there aren't any birthdays next month, so I'll be bringing in a treat each week to make up for all of you with birthdays earlier in the year that I've missed. And you'll be lucky enough to get away with not being sung to. But since Emma is first and I have all of these tasty looking cupcakes to share, let's sing and get a sugar high."

Emma turned to Ruby and winced again. "I hate being the center of attention."

"I know, but you'll survive." Ruby replied patting her arm.

Pretending to be a maestro, Jeff swung his hands back and forth indicating they should sing. It started off awkwardly, the employees not being in sync with each other but after the first happy birthday verse they managed to sing at the same speed and pulled off a halfway decent rendition of happy birthday.

Emma felt her cheeks flush. The last time anyone had sang happy birthday to her had been years ago. The bar owner in Texas had been a huge fan of birthdays and made sure all of his employees had the day off and got free drinks all night. The first few years she was too young to legally drink so they served her sparkling grape juice and sang. Prior to that, there had been a teacher like Grace's who celebrated the birthdays of all of the kids in her class. She remembered the teacher placing a large birthday hat on her head, handing her a goodie bag of candy and instructing the class to sing.

With her aunt's family, her birthday wasn't as important. Ingrid always managed to get her a card or a small gift but she never had the elaborate birthday parties Ingrid held for her own sons. Nicky's birthday was two weeks before Emma's and they had always used the excuse that they could share parties.

Some years Emma had been able to invite a friend; to the bowling alley or the ice cream shop or wherever Nicky's party was being held, but the cake had Nicky's choice of theme and his name was the only one mentioned in the song.

As a young child it had bothered her, wanting have a big fuss made over her one day a year but as she got older she got used to it and began to almost enjoy keeping the day to herself.

Realizing they had stopped singing, she felt her cheeks flush harder as she offered a thank you to everyone. Most were pretty distracted, their eyes returning to Jeff who had opened the first container of cupcakes.

"Come on up Emma, you get to choose the first cupcake." Jeff told her, waving her over.

With as hungry as she was, food was food and she didn't care what kind of cupcake she got as long as she got to eat something. She stood next to him and leaned over, getting a better look at the cupcakes before selecting a chocolate cupcake with a sandwich cookie nestled into the white frosting. She grabbed a napkin from next to containers and headed back to her seat.

"The birthday girl had chosen. Now you vultures can come grab one. Oh wait, another announcement first." Jeff said, the room filled with groans.

"Hey! It's a good thing!" Jeff replied indignantly. "The sales team kicked ass this summer and were on track to increase our sales by thirty percent by year end, so I'm ordering pizzas for lunch. They'll be here in an hour. Just wanted to warn you all before you filled up on sugar." He plucked a white cupcake decorated with purple frosting from the container and stepped back, making room for the employees swarming him to get their sugar high.

"Personable Jeff creeps me out." Emma whispered When Ruby had returned to her seat with a yellow cupcake topped with pink frosting and a fresh strawberry.

"I know, right? But let's take advantage of free food before he changes his mind." Ruby replied, plucking the strawberry from the frosting and popping it in her mouth.

She didn't want to wake up. It was warm under the covers and she had been in a pleasant dream, a sunny day laying out on the beach with Ruby and Killian. Fingers carded through her hair, removing the tangles she must have gotten through the night, pulling her further away from sleep and closer to consciousness. She relaxed into the feeling, letting her mind wander back to the dream.

Soft lips contrasted with stubble brushed against her shoulder. "I know you're awake." He whispered.

Emma shook her head. "M'not." She mumbled, burrowing further down into the blankets.

He kissed her shoulder again, stubble scraping over her skin. "You are. Happy birthday, love."

"Thanks." She mumbled into the pillow, still unwilling to lift her head. She felt the weight of the bed dip and shift until she could feel him hovering over the backs of her thighs. He pulled down the blanket, exposing her back. She nearly complained as the cool air hit her skin but then two sets of knuckles pressed into the skin at her lower back on either side of her spine.

He worked his way up, kneading her flesh, curving around the bottom half of her shoulder blades, causing her to groan. "Shall I continue or would you rather sleep?" He asked.

"Continue." She answered immediately. After one grueling back-to-back shift where Emma stood all day, Killian offered her a foot massage. She had declined at first but eventually relented and was glad she did. Killian knew his way around a massage; always knowing where to apply enough pressure and having the ability to release any of the knots she got in her shoulders and neck.

His fingers worked back down her spine and crossed the length of her lower back, causing her to groan again as he released the tension her body had been carrying. Working his way back up he paid special attention to the area where her shoulder blades and spine met, knowing she always got knots there. He worked one out on the right side before moving up to her shoulder and take out a few more. He massaged the other shoulder and the base of her neck, finishing by pressing a line of kisses down her spine and sitting next to her.

"You could do that professionally you know." Emma mumbled, turning her head slightly to see him.

"I'd prefer you to be my only client." He told her with a wink.

She couldn't help but smile. "So you woke me up to give me a massage and tell me happy birthday?" She asked.

"Not quite. I also plan on taking you to Betsy's for hot chocolate and crepes, but you'll need to get out of bed for that." Killian told her, running his fingers through her hair again.

"Oh, well you should have just said that first." Emma teased, rolling over and sitting up in bed.

"My apologies, love. I forgot how motivated you are by chocolate and cinnamon. Now up you get. Time to get ready so we can continue your birthday plans." Killian told her, getting out of bed himself.

"Plans?" Emma asked. "There's more?"

"Aye love, there is. I know you don't want any fuss made and I've kept it rather low key. I promise I won't have people sing happy birthday to you like Jeff did." He told her.

Emma grinned, throwing off the covers and getting out of bed. "I appreciate it."

"Happy birthday Emma!" Betsy exclaimed as they walked through the door of the crepe shop, Brinkley close on their heels. The older woman peeked around Emma and laughed. "Bring him in." She said in mock-exasperation.

"Thank you." Emma answered, not sure if she was replying to the birthday wish or the allowance of Brinkley.

"I know it's never polite to ask a woman, but you're young enough. How old are you now?" Betsy inquired.

Emma wrinkled her nose. "Twenty-nine."

"Child, don't give me that face." Betsy declared, hands coming to her hips. "Twenty-nine was more than four decades ago for me. You're practically still in diapers!" She tilted her head, assessing Emma. "Does it really bother you, getting closer to thirty?"

"Not really." Emma answered. "I don't really feel any age. It's just weird. Sometimes I feel like I should still be high school and other times I feel like I'm much older."

Betsy nodded. "Such is life. That never really changes. Now I believe we've revealed too much about our ages in front of a man," she paused, winking at Killian "so how about I get you some hot chocolate? Coffee, Killian?"

"I think I'll indulge with Emma today and have some hot chocolate actually." He replied and turned to Emma. "Are you have your usual crepe?"

Emma shook her head. "Nope. Birthdays are for indulgences. I'm going to see if she can add the chocolate hazelnut spread to the banana one. And a side of bacon, because what's a birthday without bacon?"

At the word 'bacon' Brinkley's ears perked up and he trotted over to Emma resting his head on her knee, looking up at her with big brown puppy eyes. "You're ridiculous." She told him.

"He refuses to believe that. But I heartily agree, if there is any day to indulge in bacon and chocolate, your birthday would be it." Killian replied.

Brinkley nudged against Emma's hand with his nose until she patted his head. Ducking her head she looked down at him. "You know I'm not the one in the kitchen, right? I have no control over what you get to eat. If you get anything."

Brinkley snorted and backed away from Emma, nudging against Killian's knee instead, clearly unimpressed with her words. Emma couldn't help but laugh. It seemed as though Brinkley actually understood what she was saying.

Betsy came back out with carrying two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and placed them at the table in front of them. "What can I get you to eat?" She asked.

"Can you add the chocolate hazelnut to my usual banana crepe?" Emma asked.

"Of course, girl. Anything for you on your birthday. And you Killian?" Betsy inquired.

"Tomato, spinach, mushrooms and mozzarella." He replied.

"Can't get you to try the sweet ones, can I?" Betsy asked. "And some bacon for Brinkley of course." She leaned down and patted the dog's head.

Emma shook her head in amusement, bringing the steaming cup of hot chocolate to her lips and blowing on it, hoping she could take a sip soon. Betsy returned a couple of minutes later with their crepes and Emma felt her eyes widen, the rich chocolate hazelnut sauce oozing out of the ends, mixed with the homemade cinnamon sauce. "Oh wow. I should have thought of this combination before."

She cut off a piece of the crepe and brought it to her lips, inhaling the scent of cinnamon and chocolate before taking a bite and when she finally did, her eyes nearly rolled back into her head. "Holy shit." She muttered. "That's amazing." She cut off another piece and held the fork out to Killian for him to try it.

Emma watched as he took the fork, his eyebrows raising in surprise at the sweet combination. "That's quite delicious, Swan. I had no idea your sweet tooth went to such lengths."

"I don't let it out often. When I do, I end up eating things like this for breakfast." She laughed.

"Perhaps we could take a stroll on the beach." Killian suggested and Emma readily agreed.

October was a fickle month when it came to the weather. Most days were pretty mild, the mornings chilly but never enough to require scraping frost off a car windshield and the days were moderate, no more than a sweater needed. But it also swung in the direction of either extreme, days so mild it drove the locals to sit out on the beach, always eager to get in one more day. Or it turned bitterly cold, winter jackets pulled from the depths of closets, everyone bundled up and barely speaking because the whipping wind would take their breaths away.

It was warmer than expected for so late in the month and Emma wanted to enjoy whatever days she had left where she could comfortably visit the beach.

Betsy topped off their hot chocolates and transferred them into to-go cups and wished Emma a happy birthday again. "Thank you. And thanks so much for breakfast; it was absolutely delicious." Emma told her.

The boardwalk and the beach were nearly deserted, only a few people lingering about. A few of the shops and restaurants were still open, signs in each window indicating their off-season hours.

Emma inhaled deeply as they made their way onto the sand, taking in the briny scent coming from the ocean. Brinkley immediately ran to the water's edge, waiting for the next wave to wash up over his paws. She laughed and shook her head at the antics of the dog. Beside her, Killian grumbled about having to give him another bath.

They headed south, commenting on the new construction at the end of the boardwalk, what appeared to be a hotel and restaurant combination. The length of the beach expanded after that, grassy dunes curved a path between them and the ocean front houses. There were still some smaller and older houses, not the large and modern monstrosities that had begun to take over the area. While Emma preferred the older houses she loved the tropical colored paint and siding of the new ones. They're like houses in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Ruby had told her as they watched a crew of painters install turquoise siding a few summers ago.

"Wouldn't it be amazing to have this as your view every morning?" Emma asked.

Killian glanced between her and the ocean. "Aye love, that it would." He replied in a tone that left Emma uncertain as it if he was just talking about the ocean.

When their hot chocolates were empty and the wind had begun to pick up, they decided to cut their stroll short and head back to the boardwalk.

Killian opened the door of his truck for Emma, his fingers brushing against the small of her back as she climbed in.

When he was in the driver's seat and Brinkley was in the back of the truck, Emma asked, "What plans do you have for me now?"

Killian gave her a sheepish smile as he backed out of the parking space. "I didn't want to pack the day full with things to do, knowing you didn't want a fuss. I don't have anything planned until dinner tonight."

"That's fine." Emma assured him. "I don't mind spending a few hours relaxing. Where is dinner?"

"That's a surprise, but I'm picking you up a little after six. We have reservations." He told her.

Emma frowned. Not many places required reservations in the off-season but most still took them, which didn't help her narrow down the possibilities of where they were going. "I don't like surprises."

"I know, love. But I'm sure you can handle this one. We're staying nearby and there is no dress code. Does that ease your mind enough?" He asked.

Emma nodded. "I guess. Now what to do with myself and all of this free time."

As if on cue, her phone chimed. Emma pulled it out and saw she had a text from Ruby. Happy birthday Emma! I'm picking you up at one for mani/pedi's, my birthday treat to you. She read aloud.

"Did you know about this?" She asked Killian opening the door and hopping out of his truck.

"Not exactly. Ruby told me she had something planned for the two of you and I needed to have my plans done by then." He told her, following her up to the porch.

"You know you don't have to walk me to my door in broad daylight, right?" Emma teased him.

"Ah, but I do. How else would I do this?" He asked, ducking his head to press his lips to hers. Before she could even react to wrap her arms around him, she felt him bend slightly at the knees, his arms coming around her waist as he picked her up and pulled her against him.

Emma smiled against his lips, one hand coming to cup the back of his neck as she angled her head to give him better access. He took it immediately, kissing her thoroughly. She tugged on his bottom lip with her own, a faint hint of the sweetness from the earlier hot chocolate remained.

Eventually he placed her back on the ground, arms still wrapped around her which she appreciated, her legs feeling a bit wobbly after that show stopper of a kiss. His nose bumped against hers, lips mere centimeters away. "Happy birthday, love. I'll see you in a few hours. Enjoy your time with Ruby."

Keeping her eyes closed she went up on tip-toe again to press another kiss to his lips. "Thanks, I will."


	42. Chapter 42

So I still can't see any of the reviews I've gotten in the last week unless I'm on my phone. Not cool, FFN, not cool.

 **Princesseslikepirates** \- I hope your husband is over his cold now too! And really, crepes and a massage? Who wouldn't be jealous of Emma?

 **Paupaupi** \- Confession: Writing the last chapter, I realized that was the first time I ever had Jeff speak!

 **Guest:** I mean, come on, how could I exclude a lift kiss? ;)

And thanks again to **Andria, StephWoods, Ronzu, Kathy, jayembee123** and anyone else that I overlooked!

Chapter 42: Killian

 _Leaving now._ Killian shot off a quick text to Emma before checking out his reflection in the mirror one last time.

He had told Emma there wasn't a dress code for the restaurant, which was true, but that hasn't stopped him from dressing up a bit. He knew Ruby would have found an excuse to go back to Emma's place after their manicures and pedicures and pick something out of Emma's closet, or somehow manage to have the perfect dress for Emma to wear just lying in the backseat of her car.

"Not too bad." He said aloud, giving himself a once over. He wore a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, the first few buttons undone and paired it with a medium gray shade of dress slacks and black dress shoes. "Be good." He told Brinkley before slipping his phone and wallet into his pocket and grabbing his keys.

He stopped at the florist before heading to Emma's cottage, picking up a bouquet of orchids, reasoning that roses were too cliche and the orchids were too pretty to pass up.

-/-

He knocked on the door, hearing the sound of heels clicking across the floor from within. Killian held the bouquet behind his back, wanting to surprise her with it. The door opened and he damn near dropped the bouquet. Emma stood in front of him in an above the knee, strapless navy blue dress and nude heels. Her hair was braided back before twisting into a high ponytail, the ends slightly curled. Killian felt himself blinking dumbly, his lips slightly parted as he took in the sight of her. "You...Emma you look absolutely stunning."

A pink stain crept up on her cheeks, making her eyes seem even greener. "You umm...you don't look so bad yourself." She managed to get out.

He couldn't help it. He winked at her. "I know." She was mid-eye roll at his response when he remembered the bouquets of orchids. Pulling them from behind his back he presented them to her. "These are for you."

Her eyes lit up and she blinked, clearly surprised. "Thank you. Umm, let me see if I can find a vase." She stepped away from the door, allowing him to come in.

Killian followed her into the kitchen, watching in amusement as she pulled open the cabinets searching for one. He stepped forward, resting a hand on her bare shoulder. She stopped, turning around to look at him. "We can just put them in a large glass." He told her pulling open the cabinet full of glasses and mugs and pulling out the largest glass she had.

He cut the cellophane wrapper off the flowers as Emma filled up the glass with water. He placed the bouquet of flowers inside and fanned out the stems. "Ready to go?"

Emma nodded, turning to look back at the flowers once more before following him out of her kitchen.

"No dress code. Yet we're both fairly dressed up and mine was entirely at the instruction of Ruby. I sense some scheming here." Emma said, her voice light enough to let him know she wasn't actually upset.

Killian frowned at her. "Not exactly. Ruby knows where we're going and offered the suggestion that we clean up a bit to celebrate your birthday."

"I guess I need to get used to this. My friend and boyfriend talking about me together." She mused.

-/-

"Have you ever been here before?" He asked as they crossed the small parking lot to the Just Hooked restaurant.

"No I haven't. They have a few other restaurants with hook in the name though, so they must be doing well." Emma replied.

He held open the door for her and let her lead the way to the hostess station. "Killian Jones." He replied when the waitress asked his name.

"Right this way," she said, grabbing two menus and taking them to a table in the back corner of the restaurant. "A server will be right with you to take your drink order."

Killian held out the chair for Emma, scooting it in as she sat down. Sliding into his own seat, he handed her the specialty cocktail menu. "What do you think looks good?"

She took the menu from him, eyes skimming down the page. "A blackberry lemonade. Whiskey, lemonade and blackberry syrup." She handed the menu back to him.

"Catcher in the Rye sounds appealing. I'll have one of those." He said, right as the waiter appeared to take their order. He repeated the order, adding in two glasses of water.

The waiter returned shortly after with their drinks. He tried his, curious to see how the rye and brown sugar would combine with citrus and bitters. "Quite good, would you like to try it?" He asked.

Emma took a sip."A little stronger than I'd like but it's not bad." She tried her own drink, eyebrows raising in surprise."That's delicious." She held out her drink for Killian to try.

"Well, that's not something you see every day, Emma Swan sharing a drink." Ruby interrupted, coming up to their table with Victor on her heels.

"Happy birthday Emma." Victor said, squeezing her shoulder.

"Thank you. So they let you out of lawyer study hall?" Emma asked as Victor and Ruby slid into the empty chairs at the table.

Victor laughed. "It's rare, but I'm allowed to see the outdoors sometimes."

Killian caught Emma's eye. "Not too terrible of a surprise?" He mouthed at her. Emma smiled shaking her head no.

Ruby, who was seated to his left, pushed back his shoulder until his back rested against the back of the chair. Her gaze dropped from his shoulders to his lap, taking in his attire. "Damn GQ, you got a modeling contract?" She teased.

Killian couldn't stop the grin from breaking out on his face. Ruby was the only person who could tease him like that without it being awkward for anyone else. He threw her an exaggerated wink. "I'll consider getting one if Emma can be my agent."

Ruby laughed. "She'd do a terrible job. Some producer would call to have you be the shirtless hot guy in a yogurt commercial or something and she'd be like 'nope, sorry he's busy'."

"Hey! I would not." Emma protested.

Ruby laughed. "Did you or did you not shout 'no' at Rita when she mentioned her single niece?"

"That's different." Emma argued.

"If you say so." Ruby replied.

"Hey! It's my birthday. You can't be an asshole to me." Emma retorted, sticking her tongue out at her friend.

Ruby held up her hands in defeat. "True. So, what are you drinking?"

"Blackberry lemonade." Emma replied.

"Looks tasty." Ruby replied. The waiter had returned to take the additional drink orders. "Berry martini please." Victor ordered a Moscow mule and the waiter promised to return in a few moments with their drinks.

Killian's eyes flitted over the menu, trying to decide what to order. "Do you know what you'd like, love?" He asked Emma.

"Still deciding." She replied, making him hide his slight jump with a shift in his seat. Her hand had come to rest on his knee.

His eyebrow arched in her direction, confused. She hadn't been overly affectionate with him in public and he knew overt displays bothered her but he couldn't help it wonder why she was keeping it hidden, especially in front of two people who had seen her express affection towards him before. He shifted the menu to his other hand, dropping his left under the table and covering her hand with his, thumb rubbing over the back of her hand.

The waiter returned, dropping off the drinks and asking if they were ready to order. "Birthday girl first." Ruby replied automatically, gesturing with her menu toward Emma.

Emma frowned and shook her head slightly before turning to meet the waiter's eye. "Please tell me you don't sing or otherwise embarrass your guests."

The waiter laughed. "Not a chance, although if you'll allow me to tell the chef, you'll get a free dessert."

"Now that I'm okay with. I'd like the scallops please." She replied, smiling at Killian.

Ruby ordered the crab cakes, opting to switch out the potato salad for the roasted fingerling potatoes instead. Victor ordered the hanger steak and Killian the fish and chips. Ruby laughed as he placed his order. "Is it even comparable?" She asked.

"In some restaurants it's quite like the English version and others it's completely terrible, but you never know until you try it." Killian replied.

"It's like crab cakes then." Emma said, continuing when Killian raised his eyebrow at her. "Broiled crab cakes made the way you've had them here is a local style. Most places fry them, add a lot more filler or add in other ingredients, like red peppers."

"Or when they steam them it's with very little seasoning and served with pots of melted butter to dip it in like you would lobster." Victor said, nose wrinkling in disgust.

Killian laughed. "Crab cake snobs, the lot of you."

"Hey." Ruby shot back. "You'd go to Maine for a real lobster roll, Philly for a cheesesteak and Maryland for a crab cake. It's just how it works when you want the real thing."

"Psst. We're in Delaware." Victor mock whispered to his fiancée as though he were telling her a huge secret.

Emma and Killian laughed and Ruby rolled her eyes. "Yes, darling, I know what state I live in. Maryland was just polite enough to share their crab cake recipes with Delaware, us being that awesome friendly neighbor and all."

A few moments later the serve arrived with their entrees, the scent of Killian's fried fish mingling with the richness of the steak Victor had ordered and the light seafood scent of Emma and Ruby's dishes.

Killian glanced over at the plate in front of Emma. The scallops, perfectly golden, glistened with butter contrasting with the bright green of the asparagus and the deep red and orange of the bell peppers. His eyes returned to his own plate, the perfect golden brown batter coated the fish. The fries were crisp and thick, also fried to perfection and the coleslaw was brighter and fresher than he imagined. Most restaurants chose to only use green cabbage and a small amount of carrots, coating the vegetables in mayonnaise until everything took on a singular color. Here the coleslaw was colorful, a combination of green and purple cabbage mixed with a hearty amount of shredded carrot and a light coating of mayonnaise, letting the vegetables shine.

Victor held up his glass and cleared his throat, getting the attention of everyone else at the table. "Happy birthday Emma. May you have a great year filled with everything you desire." He tilted his glass up again Ruby clinked here against it.

"Cheers. Happy birthday." She said.

Killian tapped his glass against the others then turned to Emma. "Happy birthday, love."

Emma smiled, squeezing his fingers under the table. "Thanks! Now let's eat, it looks so good."

-/-

"What did you think of the scallops?" Killian asked, his fingers undoing the braid in her hair.

Emma was sitting between his legs on her couch, leaning back against him. She had changed into sleepwear and had shook out her hair. Emma tilted her head back until she was able to look at him upside down. "Honestly? They were delicious, but yours are better."

Killian tipped his head down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Well aren't you sweet."

"I'm serious. Your let yours sear longer. I think it tastes better that way." She replied, closing her eyes as his fingers raked through her hair.

He hummed but didn't reply. He couldn't help but be proud that she liked his cooking better than a restaurant. "May I ask you something?" The words slipped from his lips before he could stop them. He didn't want to harp on her holding his hand under the table, especially on her birthday but he found himself questioning it anyway.

"Yeah." She asked, keeping her eyes closed.

"Nevermind. It's nothing." He said wishing he could take back asking her in the first place.

Her eyebrows raised and one eye opened. "If it was nothing you wouldn't have brought it up."

"It's silly." Killian replied.

"I'm waiting." She responded, clearly not interested in letting it go.

Killian took a deep breath. He didn't wish to upset her on her birthday and he couldn't think of a way to ask her about it without seeming like he wanted more from her than she was willing to give. "At the restaurant...your hand was on my knee…" He trailed off, shaking his head slightly. "Like I said, it's silly and not worth fussing over."

Emma made a noise of discontent before she spun around and fixed him with a look. "Where should my hand have been?"

"No where or anywhere you wished it to be. Please love, let's just forget this." Killian asked, greatly annoyed with himself for even bringing it up.

Emma frowned at him but remained silent for a few moments, studying his face. He could tell she was trying to figure out what he was unwilling to say. Eventually she spoke. "My hand was on your knee but clearly you think it should have been somewhere else. Did you not want me to touch you?" Hurt washed over her features.

"No!" Killian hated himself for bringing it up even more considering that was the first conclusion she came to. "It's nothing like that at all."

"Then what is it?" She demanded clearly frustrated.

Killian rubbed his hand over his face before taking a deep breath. "I stupidly wondered why you wished to hold my hand out of sight from everyone. It was stupid. A moment of weakness where I assumed it was something you didn't want to show to anyone." His fingers ran through his hair, tugging on it frustration. "But _I know_ that's not it." He implored. "I'm sorry, love, as I said it was stupid and I should have just kept it to myself."

Emma sighed. "It wasn't meant to be out of sight. I didn't even think of it like that."

Killian opened his eyes and found hers, reaching forward and grasping hands. "I know that." He replied earnestly. "I truly do."

"But," She continued. "I get how you could have thought that." Emma rubbed her thumb over his distractedly. "I was nervous."

"Pardon?" Killian asked, not at all expecting that to come out of her mouth.

"We were dressed up and going to dinner. I haven't done that in ages. Not since...well, him. I figured if I had my hand on your knee I couldn't accidentally knock over a glass or something." Emma explained.

"I'm an arse. A bloody moronic arse." Killian said, closing his eyes.

"You are not! But this is important, right? That we were able to talk about it." She asked. "That's like a real couple thing to do, isn't it?"

Killian couldn't stop the corners of his lips from lifting upward. "Aye, I suppose that is a real couple thing to do. Although it's clear I need to work on my communication skills."

Emma rose onto her knees, her front teeth biting down into her bottom lip. "Killian." She said, keeping her eyes downcast.

"Yes, love?" He asked cautiously. Her tone made him nervous.

She lifted her head until her eyes met his and broke out into a grin. "You may not _be_ an arse," She said leaning forward until they were only a few inches apart. "But you _have_ a really nice one, so how about you take the birthday girl to bed?"

He broke out into a hearty laugh, standing up quickly and pulling her into his arms.

"I can walk!" She protested lamely, as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Why yes, you could, but why should a beautiful princess be subjected to something as common as walking when she has one to carry her?" He asked.

Emma's head fell back as she laughed. "Oh so I'm a princess now? Does that mean I get to command you?" She asked and he nodded. "Wait, what are you? A prince? A knight?"

Killian frowned. "Not my style. A captain, perhaps? In your Royal Navy."

"A captain and a princess? Sounds slightly scandalous." She replied, eyebrows arched. Her tongue had come to peek out of the corner of her lips. " Well, then Captain, I demand you follow my orders and take me to bed." Emma commanded in a haughty voice.

Killian felt the desire rising within him at her command. He didn't know how far, if at all she'd be willing to take it, but perhaps it could be a fantasy they could experiment with in the future. Her golden hair and delicate features were traits commonly found in those of royal heritage. "As the princess wishes." Killian replied, winking at her.

-\\-

A bitter wind coming in off the ocean left him shoving his hands deeper into his pockets and ducking his head. The gusts carried tiny granules of sand, colliding into him with surprising force. "Come on Brinkley." He called, wanting to get back onto the boardwalk, where the buildings provided some refuge from the winds and sand.

He had parked at the very end of the strip, intending to give Brinkley as much exercise on this walk as possible. While he was no stranger to winter or cold weather, he took a moment to appreciate his previous dwelling with a fenced in backyard. Brinkley could run around to his heart's content while Killian watched through the window, in the warmth of his house. Fences didn't seem to be common at the beach but perhaps he would start looking for rentals or even available real estate to see what was out there.

A sheet of neon yellow posterboard caught his eye as he approached his truck. "Hold on a moment, Brinkley, what have we here?" He asked aloud before walking over to the town office building.

 _Now Hiring - Library Assistant_

The poster read in black, block letters. _Experience not necessary, but appreciated_ was written underneath in a neat print that reminded him of his early days in school learning how to write the alphabet. Below that included the address of the library. Killian quickly typed it into his phone, finding it was a less than a mile away.

"We're going to make a little pit stop on the way home. Come on, get in." Killian said, holding open the door to his truck.

He got in and easily followed the directions on his phone to the library. Spying a bicycle rack at the front of the building, Killian decided it was best to have Brinkley wait there instead of in his truck. He crossed the short distance of the parking lot, leash in hand and wound it around the top of the bicycle rack. "Stay here a moment, yeah?"

Pulling open the wooden door, he couldn't help but inhale deeply at the rich scent that filled the air the trio of paper, ink and age coming together to form a unique scent only found in bookstores and libraries alike. He made his way to the circulation desk, waiting for the young, blonde woman behind it to finish typing before he interrupted her.

"Hi there! What can I help you with?" She asked brightly.

"Hello. I saw the sign on the door for the library assistant and I was hoping to get more information." Killian replied.

The woman's eyebrows raised in surprise, clearly not expecting those words to come out of his mouth. "Uh sure. Lizzie Gibson is our librarian and she's in today. Let me go see if she is available." She headed behind a wooden door with a black _Employees Only_ black affixed to it.

Killian looked around, taking in the clean circulation desk, not a stray pen or paperclip out of place. A stack of books sat on the corner of the desk, arranged by size with the smallest book on the top. He appreciated the organization. Turning around he took in the window display, a wooden rocking chair covered with a red, plaid blanket. A teddy bear that had seen better days sat on the seat, wedged between a stack of children's books.

"Hello, you're here about the assistant position?" A feminine voice said, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Killian turned around to face the voice. It was very young and almost childlike, despite her appearance being the opposite. Her dark brown hair interspersed with strands of gray framed her face in a short bob, make up applied to perfection. She wore a fitted sweater, a pair of wool trousers and a string of pearls around her neck. A large ring on her left hand caught Killian's attention as she clasped her hands in front of her. He suddenly felt completely underdressed in jeans and a winter coat. Realizing she was looking at him for a response, Killian cleared his throat and offered her a smile. "Yes I am. I'm Killian Jones. Mrs. Gibson, I presume?" He asked, stepping forward and holding out his hand, manners and charm finally having returned to him.

She shook his and and smiled. "Mrs. Gibson is my mother in law. Lizzie will do. It's nice to meet you Mr. Jones, would you mind joining me in my office and we can discuss what we're looking for?"

"Of course." Killian said, gesturing for her to lead the way and holding open the _Employees Only_ door for her to pass through. He followed her across the main area, a break room of sorts, to a small office.

"Have a seat." She nodded toward the chairs as she made her way around the wooden desk and sat down. Killian complied. "So Mr. Jones, why do you want to be a library assistant?"

"Killian, please." He told her. "I came to town this past April and it has grown on me. I've decided to make a more permanent stay and I'm looking for something to keep me occupied. I have some relevant experience, my brother and I had owned a bookstore in Connecticut." He paused, knowing what was coming next. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "When my brother passed I decided to sell the store."

"I'm sorry for your loss," She replied sympathetically. "I assume you've become accustomed to small town life?"

"I have. Had I any idea how nice it was here, I'd have moved here sooner." Killian replied sincerely.

"We're not very traditional around here. My husband, Jack, is the mayor. I was an elementary school principal until I retired. In a small town with a small budget, it only made sense for me to volunteer my services as librarian as opposed to it being a paid position. I'd rather the funds we do receive go to the books, the building and the staff. I'll be honest with you Killian, the position doesn't pay very well and is part time so benefits are not offered. The duties also vary quite a bit, especially in the off-season." She explained.

Killian smiled at her. "I'll be honest with you as well. The sale of the bookstore was very profitable. I don't expect a high wage or benefits. What are you expecting of an assistant?"

"Checking in and out materials, signing patrons up for library cards, collecting fees for fines, shelving materials, assisting with programs and displays, processing and withdrawing materials, assisting patrons and the like." She replied.

"Sounds reasonable enough." He told her.

"In the off season there are a lot of visits by the elementary school children. We like to do programs for them throughout the year as opposed to just during the summer. We're planning to start a weekend storytime for the younger children and are always looking for new ideas as to what to do to bring in the older ones. I fully understand we live in a world of cell phones and e-books, but it's very important to me, and the town, that we still encourage our older readers to hold a real leather-bound book in their hands, something that you just can't do with a tablet." She said.

Killian grinned at her. "I heartily agree. I held off on getting a smartphone for as long as I possibly could."

"I have to say, that's wonderful to hear from the younger generation. I'll admit I have one, simply because I like receiving texts and photos from my grandchildren. Now as I said, the position is part time and includes a lot of flexibility. We're looking for someone with the availability to be here Monday through Thursday, although every day may not be required, but there is one required Saturday per month. Taking on others is optional, although most of our staff tend to do so in favor of a day off during the week. The hours are from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon, although that full six-hour shift may not be necessary every day. Is that something that could work with your schedule?" She asked.

Killian nodded. "Yes, it would work perfectly. Anything more than six hours and I'd need to find someone to let my dog out."

"Wonderful!" She said, delighted. "What kind of dog do you have? Jack and I are dog lovers, ourselves."

"Brinkley is a golden retriever who thinks he is more human than canine." Killian said and she laughed.

Lizzie's face lit up. "My grandchildren have a golden named Daisy. She's a wonderful dog. She reminds me of my Lady. We got her after the children moved out and she just passed on a few summers ago. She was probably the best dog we ever had. Perhaps I could meet Brinkley sometime."

"I have him right outside, actually." Killian said.

An even bigger grin broke out on the woman's face. Let's go!" She stood up and ushered him out of her office.

Opening the door to the library, she turned and immediately spotted Brinkley, sitting prettily next to the bike rack. "Oh! Aren't you handsome! May I pet you?" She asked, holding out her hand for Brinkley to sniff.

Brinkley immediately nudged his nose into her hand until she pet his head, then laid down and rolled over, exposing his stomach.

"Brinkley." Killian sighed, exasperated. "Haven't we discussed that it is inappropriate to suggest belly rubs from nice ladies?"

"Oh no, it's quite alright. You're adorable and you know it, yes, yes you do." She crooned at the dog. She petted him for a few moments before standing up and turning back to Killian.

"Well Killian, the position is yours if you want it. I'd also love for you to bring Brinkley along. I have never had a need to pull a wife-of-the-mayor string before, but this is the perfect reason to. I'll make sure that Brinkley an all-access pass into the library even though he isn't a service dog." Lizzie said.

"I...really? I mean, thank you. I'd love to accept the position. You really don't need to worry about Brinkley, he'll be fine on his own during the day. I'd rather not have anyone get in trouble." Killian replied, flustered.

"Nonsense." She waved him off. "Brinkley is welcome. Is it possible for you to start next Tuesday? Julie and Brian will be here and they're the best two to train you." Lizzie told him.

"Tuesday works for me. I'll be here at ten." Killian told her.

"It will be a pleasure working with you Killian. I'll see you then." Lizzie smiled and headed back into the library.

Killian turned to Brinkley, unwinding his leash from around the bike rack. "Well that was surely an interesting turn of events. It appears we now work at the library. I wonder what Emma will think about this. Now come on, you've been good so I guess we can also make a stop at the pet store for those treats we ran out of recently."


	43. Chapter 43

I'm still unable to see reviews on here and I'm posting this chapter in a rush since I won't be home again until 9 pm. So just a quick thank you to every who has left a review! I love reading what you think of each chapter and the story overall.

* * *

Chapter 43: Emma

"What have you been up to this week?" Emma asked.

"Actually, there's something I wanted to tell you." Killian replied. "I was taking Brinkley for a walk a few days ago and saw a sign on the town office building that the library was looking for an assistant. I decided to stop in that day and the librarian was there. She's a huge fan of dogs and hired me on the spot. It's part time and only a few days a week, but it should keep me busy enough through the winter."

"Congrats!" Emma said.

"Thank you. So, Chinese food tonight?" He asked changing the subject.

Emma smiled. "That sounds good. Am I coming to you?" She asked.

"Whatever works better for you, love." Killian told her.

"I'll come over. But speaking of food, I should probably find something to eat before Ruby shows up." Emma replied.

"Of course. Do you want anything special tonight or shall I chose our order?" Killian asked.

Emma hummed. There were very few Chinese food options she didn't like. "You pick, but make sure to get an order of crab rangoons."

"I will. Have a good time dress shopping with Ruby." He told her.

Emma sighed. "I'll try. See you tonight."

"Bye, love." Killian said, disconnecting the call.

Emma glanced at the clock. She had a little over an hour until Ruby showed up for their second round of dress shopping. She hoped Ruby would find her dress on this trip. Emma found wedding dress shopping daunting and uncomfortable and she wasn't even the bride.

Ruby had mentioned that the bridal shops (yes, plural, seeing as there were two appointments that afternoon) also carried bridesmaid dresses and they could look for a dress for Emma there. Just another thing she wasn't looking forward to; wearing a fancy dress and being on display in front of people she didn't know at all or didn't know very well. She made a mental note to ask Ruby about the guest list, hoping she was going to know more than Killian, the bride and groom.

She knew she needed to eat something, but there was too much restless energy flowing through her to focus on cooking. She walked into her bathroom, grabbing a hair tie and twisting her hair up into a bun. Bun secured, she noticed the state of disarray of the small basket holding her hair ties. Over time it had come to hold hair ties and clips, tweezers, a spare Chapstick, safety pins and eyelash curlers.

Dumping the basket on the counter she sorted through the items, sliding the hand ties into her wrist. Once everything was sorted she pulled the hair ties back off, laying them in an even pile in the basket. She placed the clips next to them and ran to the kitchen to grab a zip top bag to put the safety pins in. Returning the basket to the drawer she straightened her hairbrush and comb and swiped another layer of Chapstick over her lips.

Emma knew it was a strange nervous habit, the more she organized or cleaned, the less anxious she could feel. Her stomach growled, reminding her she needed to find something to eat. Pulling open the door of the fridge, she surveyed the ingredients and found herself unable to decide between a BLT or fried egg sandwich.

Pondering her choice for a moment she decided there was no harm in attempting to combine the two sandwiches. She grabbed the bacon and lettuce from the fridge followed by the carton of eggs. Bumping the fridge closed with her hip, she went up on tiptoe to grab the loaf of bread from on top the fridge.

Emma placed a paper towel on the plate, followed by the slices of bacon and covered it with wax paper. She placed the plate in the microwave and set it for three minutes; a quick-cooking bacon trick she had learned when her first apartment had a single burger hot plate and a microwave serving as a kitchen. Grabbing a frying pan, she coated it lightly with nonstick cooking spray and placed it over medium heat.

She cracked an egg in the pan, popped two slices of bread into the toaster and grabbed a tomato from the bowl on her counter, cutting a thick slice. She pulled off a leaf of the lettuce and returned the necessary ingredients back to the fridge. Seasoning the egg with salt and pepper, she carefully flipped it over and grabbed a pot holder to pull the plate of bacon from the microwave.

Bread lightly toasted, she topped one side with the lettuce and tomato, carefully sliding the egg from the spatula to its final resting place. Breaking a slice of bacon in half, Emma pressed it on top of the egg and topped it with the remaining slice of bread.

Grabbing a knife, she carefully flipped the sandwich and sliced it in half, smiling in satisfaction as golden yellow yolk seeped into the bread below.

Lifting half of the sandwich to her mouth she took a huge bite, savoring the richness of the egg yolk contrasting against the salty bacon and the fresh crunch of the lettuce.

She had finished the sandwich, popping her fingers in her mouth to clean off the crumbs and bacon grease when she heard Ruby pull into the driveway and hit the horn in three short beeps.

-/-

"Welcome! Do you have an appointment today?" A petite brunette asked as they entered the second bridal shop. The first had been a complete bust, none of the dresses fit the look Ruby wanted.

"I do. It's with Sue." Ruby replied.

"That's me. You must be Ruby. Nice to meet you." Another petite brunette came up to them.

At the first store the consultants wore suits, heels, full faces of makeup and looked more like clones than consultants wanting to help brides find their wedding dress.

This shop was the complete opposite. Colorful artwork hung between the dresses, pop music filtered through the speakers and Sue wore bold jewelry and Mary-Jane pumps with her classic black pencil skirt and white blouse. Overall the store felt much more approachable. Emma felt very uncomfortable in the last store but found herself feeling quite the opposite here.

Ruby shook her hand. "You too. This is Emma, my maid of honor."

"Wonderful. Are we bridesmaid dress shopping as well?" She asked.

"Yes, we'd like to look after my appointment." Ruby replied.

Emma followed them into another room full of dresses, barely listening as Ruby gave her budget and the style of dress she wanted to try on. The dresses weren't as squished together on racks in this shop, many of them posed on mannequins or on racks that allowed them to be fully displayed. They appeared to be sorted by style and not designer, one corner of the room was more crowded than the others, holding all of the Ball Gown style dresses.

Sue quickly grabbed some dresses and took Ruby back into the fitting room. Emma sat on a plush, wingback chair waiting for her to return. A stack of bridal magazines sat on a table next to her and she found herself flipping through them, skimming past the poofy dresses just as Ruby had. The sleeker more fitted dresses were much prettier in Emma's opinion. _Why are you looking at wedding dresses?_ The annoying little voice in the back of her head asked. _I'm in a bridal shop with Ruby._ She retorted in her head. _That doesn't explain the critiquing of styles in a magazine, now does it?_ The voice questioned and Emma found herself getting frustrated. She knew there was absolutely nothing wrong with looking at wedding dresses, that it meant nothing other than her friend was getting married and she was accompanying her on the shopping trip, but it didn't stop that nagging voice in her head from making her wonder if maybe there was more to it; perhaps a sliver of consciousness that wanted try on dresses as well.

"What do you think?" Ruby asked stepping up onto the pedestal and pulling Emma from the thoughts within her own head.

Emma blinked, clearing her mind and taking in her friend. The dress was a silky satin, little buttons tracing the deep scoop of the dress, exposing from shoulder blade to tail bone. The train was modest, and the front dipped low as well, swells of fabric leaving much of Ruby's breasts uncovered. It was revealing, but not unlike something Ruby would wear. "Umm.." Emma started, trying to think of how to nicely word what she wanted to say.

"It shows off too much right?" Ruby asked.

Emma was surprised, not expecting Ruby to think that at all. "For a wedding dress, yes. It's not balanced, I guess? Like if the front was higher up, the extra low back would be okay."

"Yeah, I see what you're saying. It's a lot of boob and and all of my back. I think I'd rather show off one rather than both." Ruby said.

"The buttons on the back are really pretty though." Emma told her.

The second dress had a nude slip under flowered lace. The back didn't dip nearly as low as the first dress, but still revealed most of Ruby's back. The straps were covered in lace, leading to a sweetheart neckline. The train was longer than the first, trailing lace and flowers.

"That's gorgeous." Emma said before Ruby had even made it onto the pedestal.

Ruby's hands slid down her stomach and came to rest on her hips. She turned her head over her shoulder, looking at the trail of lace that flowed behind her. "It really is. It feels great on too. And it could work for a casual beach wedding. It's not too fancy."

"It's very pretty and fitting for a beach wedding." She told her. "But I'm sensing you don't completely love it."

Ruby frowned. "It's nothing big, but the straps are really uncomfortable."

"That's something that could easily be changed. Let's keep trying on dresses and say this one is the one to beat, yeah?" Sue asked, holding out her hand to help Ruby down.

"Definitely." Ruby replied following the consultant back into the fitting room.

Emma couldn't stop from smiling when Ruby came out in the third dress. Her friend was beaming from ear to ear, head held high as she strode across the carpeted floor to the pedestal.

The top of the dress was a scalloped lace, a deep neckline that still managed to keep Ruby covered and look modest. Wider lace straps thinned as it covered her shoulders and started to thicken again under her shoulder blades. The back wasn't entirely open, sheer illusion lace covered Ruby's back with a line of sparkly gems following the length of her spine. At her hips sat a thin satin ribbon and the bottom of the skirt was made of floaty chiffon fabric. The train was the shortest of all the dresses Ruby had tried on, but it fit with the style of the dress.

"Wow." Emma managed to mutter.

Ruby's face lit up even more. "This is it."

Emma nodded. "It's gorgeous. You're gorgeous."

She smiled warmly at both of them. "You do look like a glowing bride, Ruby. I believe you've found your dress. How about we try on some accessories with it?"

Ruby nodded, unable to take her eyes off her form in the mirror. Sue returned quickly with two veils. The first was longer, coming to Ruby's elbows with a slight amount of sparkle. The second one was nearly identical but only came to Ruby's shoulders.

"I like the shorter one. It doesn't hide the back of the dress." Emma said.

"Your friend has excellent taste. I was going to say the same thing. Let's add this." Sue said, slipping a bracelet onto Ruby's wrist. "And this," she clasped an illusion style necklace around ruby's neck. The gemstone hung between the lace, just above Ruby's cleavage.

"Wow." Ruby said. "I feel like a bride."

"Then I believe you've found your dress or would you like to try on any others?" Sue asked.

"No, let's find a maid of honor dress." Ruby said, stepping down to go change into her regular clothes.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked when Ruby reappeared. "You just found your dress. Do you really want to look for one for me now?"

"Yes. I have a feeling we're going to find the perfect dress for you too." Ruby replied, still beaming.

Ruby immediately gravitated toward a rack of dresses in primary and jewel tones. She grabbed a silky emerald dress, an eggplant color floor-length dress and a red tea-length one and pushed Emma in the direction of the fitting room.

The emerald dress was a halter style with a deep v-neck and feel to just past her knees. Ruching gathered at her waist with silver beading. "It looks gorgeous with your eyes but it's too fancy for the wedding. Next." Ruby declared.

Emma tried on the second dress, the eggplant colored one was strapless and chiffon, floating away from her body and covering her toes. "Maybe the style but not the color." Ruby told her.

The red dress was scarlet in color, strapless with a criss-crossed ruching over the sweetheart bust and down to the waist before it flared out in the same chiffon as Ruby's dress. It fell just past her knees, lengthening her legs even in the pair of ballet flats she wore. Before leaving the dressing room Emma knew that Ruby was going to choose that dress. She turned around to catch a glimpse of the back of it in the mirror, seeing that the ruching continued around the back.

Ruby's eyes lit up as Emma stepped out of the fitting room. "I told you it was a good day to find a dress for you too! That's the one. You look beautiful. You like it right?"

Emma twirled, letting the skirt flare out around her and grinned at her friend. "Yeah, I really like it. It's even comfortable."

"Sold!" Ruby said. "Yay! We both have dresses! Now I can cross this off the list and move onto the next thing."

"What's next?" Emma asked curiously.

Ruby frowned and gave her a sheepish look. "Uh, everything. I still need a caterer, dj or band and invitations. And I haven't exactly finalized the venue yet because Victor needs to sign the documents too and he hasn't been free to come in with me."

"Why do I have a feeling it's going to be a very busy winter for us?" Emma asked wryly.

"Because you're my bestest friend ever and you won't let me have a half planned wedding?" Ruby asked hopefully.

Emma put down a deposit on the dress and they told her when it would arrive. t the other register Ruby was doing the same thing. "Oh, I just thought of something. Is it possible to make a slight adjustment to the dress I chose?" She asked.

"It's likely, what did you have in mind?" Sue asked.

"The ribbon at my waist. Can that be removed and dyed? I'd like to have it match Emma's dress." Ruby answered.

"Oh yes, that can be done and will look beautiful. We'll add it to your alterations list." Sue replied.

-/-

"How did the dress shopping go?" Killian asked, dragging a heaping pile of noodles onto his plate.

Emma scooped a serving of general tso's chicken onto her plate, followed by noodles and veggies. "Really well, actually." She said, reaching into the bag and grabbing two of the crab rangoons. "We both found dresses. Ruby's is gorgeous."

"Yeah? What does it look like?" Killian asked. "Or is no one supposed to know that?"

Emma snagged an egg roll, realizing her eyes were significantly bigger than her stomach before she had even taken a bite. She followed Killian over to the couch and sat down her plate, returning to the kitchen to grab their drinks. "It's not bad luck or anything. At least, not that I know of. It's lace on top and floaty chiffon on the bottom. She looks so pretty in it."

"It sounds pretty. What about yours?" Killian asked, taking the bottle of beer she was holding out to him.

Emma smiled coyly at him. "Maybe I want to keep it a surprise." She teased.

"Fair enough." Killian said through a mouthful of noodles.

"It's red and comes just past my knees." Emma told him, not wanting to make it a complete surprise.

"I'm sure it could be a hideous dress like those ones with gigantic bows on the arse that brides choose to ensure they look better than their friends and you would look gorgeous in it." He told her, making her blush.

"You've watched too many romantic comedies if you know that." She teased.

Killian told her more about the library and how Brinkley would be able to come with them as they finished up their Chinese food. As expected, Emma's eyes were bigger than her stomach, leaving half her egg roll and a decent portion of the noodles still on the plate after declaring she was too full to eat another bite. She told him she thought he would be great at the library, especially since he had experience working in a bookstore and could easily make recommendations to patrons.

"Does the town do anything for Halloween?" Killian asked her later, once they had put the rest of the Chinese into the fridge and had returned back to the couch, fresh bottles of beer in their hands.

"Oh crap, that's Saturday isn't it. I completely forgot. Yeah, there's a Wags, Witches and Warlocks festival right on Main Street. The proceeds go to the local SPCA." Emma replied.

"Did you say wags?" Killian asked, unable to hold back his laughter.

"Yeah, dogs and kids in costumes. There's costume contests, pumpkin painting and trick or treating. I've never actually went to the festival, but I've had to work at the restaurant and caught parts of it. You should totally buy Brinkley a costume and enter him in the contests." Emma said, laughing at the thought.

Having heard his name, Brinkley trotted over and placed his head on Emma's knee. She patted his head and tilted her own at him, assessing him. "What should you be for Halloween Brinkley? A ladybug? No, that's not manly enough for you. Maybe a dragon? Or a lion?"

"I supposed I'll be making a trip up to Rehoboth to the costume store tomorrow for Brinkley." Killian replied.

"What about a costume for you? The pet owners and parents dress up too." Emma told him.

"Well that makes things more interesting then, doesn't it? Are you free to come with me tomorrow? Perhaps we could both pick out costumes and find something for Brinkley?" Killian asked her.

"Yeah, I work late tomorrow. I don't have to go in until four." Emma replied.


	44. Chapter 44

I _still_ can't respond to reviews! So I'll just thank you all here for them! I love reading feedback and knowing what you think of the story.

A while back I mentioned this being somewhere around 70 chapters. Since then I've added in an additional 5. It's like these two just don't want their story to end!

Oh and I forgot to share the last anniversary with you - the first words to paper happened on 5/29/15. I still can't believe it's been over a year. Or that I thought the story might be 20 some chapters.

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Chapter 44: Killian

Killian wandered down the men's aisle of the costume store. With the Halloween holiday only a few days away, he was surprised at the amount of costumes still hanging on the shelves. The options were mainly ridiculous, however. A shirtless firefighter, a hot dog, a baby and a variety of other costumes that left him wrinkling his nose. He hoped Emma was having better luck a few aisles over.

The store was in disarray, costumes not returned to their correct hooks. Small cards indicating additional percentages off for some costumes hung crookedly, no where near their intended target. At the end of the aisle he found a row of more tolerable costumes (Harry Potter wasn't _too_ overdone, right?), a vampire, and some more recent superheroes. Figuring it was his best bet, Killian grabbed the Harry Potter costume and then noticed behind it was a pirate costume. His eyebrow quirked up. _Now this is more my style._ Costumes in hand, he headed to the fitting room to see if either one fit.

The Harry Potter costume fit and Killian could easily enough rake his fingers through his hair to create the characteristically messy look and draw a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead, but the pirate costume just called to him.

Killian couldn't help but grin as he slid on the long leather coat of the pirate costume. It was perfect. Yanking open the door of the fitting room he came face to face with Emma, dressed as what he assumed was a princess in a pale peach dress. A tiara sat perched on her head. He felt his mouth open and close a few times, no words coming out. Finally he managed to speak. "Fancy running into you here, Princess." He drawled.

Emma eyed his costume. "You too, pirate?" She asked confirming that was what he was dressed as.

"Aye. Rather dashing, if I don't say so myself." He replied.

"The Princess and the pirate." Emma mused. "Has an interesting ring to it."

Killian could tell she was thinking about the last time they discussed pirates and princesses by the faint blush that appeared on her cheeks. "It does. Is that the costume you're going with?"

Emma nodded. "I wasn't impressed with the others."

"I suppose we should go find the necessary accessories for our costumes and then figure out what we're doing with Brinkley." Killian mused.

Emma nodded, shooting him a smile before ducking back into a dressing room to change into her regular clothing. Killian went back into his own, pulling off the pirate attire and folding it to fit into the plastic bag.

Killian added a sword, a flask, and a skull and crossbones necklace. He decided it would be easiest and most comfortable to wear the pair of black boots he owned, rather than purchasing the cheap costume version. Emma added a jeweled necklace and white elbow-length gloves to her costume. Killian talked her into buying another tiara, saying that the one that came with her costume wasn't fit for a princess. Like Killian, she opted to wear her own shoes.

Together they slowly walked down the aisle of pet costumes trying to find something for Brinkley. Unimpressed with the results, Killian sighed. "He could just go as his namesake."

"How do you even dress up like Meg Ryan? Besides, no one would get it." Emma countered.

"They might. Pixie cut wig, wear neutral colored clothing and carry a book called Shop Around the Corner. I could wear a shirt that said Fox Books. And Brinkley could just be Brinkley." Killian said, surprising himself with ease at how quickly he created costumes for them.

Emma hesitated, looking between the costumes they both were carrying. "I kind of like our costumes though."

"As do I. Perhaps we've found our costumes for next year then." Killian replied. "Now what can we possible dress Brinkley as?"

They eventually decided on a lion mane that would slip over his head.

"I dunno," Emma said as they were walking back to his truck, "I still think Fluffy was a good choice." She was referring to the two headed dog costume that would turn Brinkley into the ferocious three-headed dog from the _Harry Potter_ series. The lion costume had won on a coin toss.

"Brinkley is far from ferocious, even with the addition of two stuffed heads." Killian commented.

"That's what made it funny." Emma countered.

-/-

"This is...wow." Killian found himself at a loss for words as he and Emma walked up to the beginning of the festival.

"Right?! They really go all out." Emma replied, adjusting the tiara that sat on her head.

The chilly days that had plagued the town earlier in the week had made way for an unseasonably warm Halloween, as though the weather knew to expect the children wished to run around sans coats for the holiday. The scent of fall still lingered in the air, combining with the sugary scent of caramel apples and smokey smell of logs burning. The mouth-watering scent of freshly popped popcorn intermingled with the salty breeze coming in off the ocean.

Killian signed Brinkley up for the costume contest and then they made their way down Main Street stopping at the vendor booths. They watched a toddler dressed as a bear beat two older children dressed as superheroes in an apple bobbing contest. A group of children in various _Harry Potter_ costumes stood in a semi-circle, wands raised as they yelled incantations at each other.

The parking lot to the bank was squared off by bales of hay. Groups of similarly aged children were in each corner, each painting their own pumpkin. Next to that a group of adults were carving pumpkins, their already created masterpieces sitting on a table next to a chalkboard sign that read _Carving Competition 18+, 2 pm._

"You should sign up." Emma commented, likely noticing how Killian lingered.

"I think I will." He said, grabbing a pen and adding his name to the list of participants on the clipboard.

They made their way closer to the beach, checking out each table as they went. There were tons of handmade items, autumn colored wreaths and quilts, decor made with corn husks and miniature gourds.

As they neared Coconut's, Emma and Killian ran into David and Maggie. Maggie was clearly dressed as an iconic Snow White but it took Killian a minute to figure out David was Prince Charming. "You look amazing!" Maggie exclaimed.

"Us?" Emma replied. "You guys look like you walked off the page of a fairytale!"

David commented that Killian made quite the convincing pirate, even without an eyepatch and parrot on his shoulder before asking if Killian was sticking around town or moving on.

Without meaning to, Killian's eyes drifted toward Emma, taking in her profile as she spoke with Maggie. From the short distance they stood apart, the shiny, cheap material of her dress faded and the jewels on her head and around her neck lost their plastic sheen. If he squinted a little, barely blurring the vision of her, she appeared to be royalty, a true princess in a pale peach dress. "I'm staying," he said, dragging his eyes away from Emma, only to find David grinning at him in amusement.

"The reason as to why is clear." David replied dryly. "However, it could also bode well for me. Grant has been accepted to a college up in Baltimore and Jay doesn't want to come back next year. If you want it, the piano playing gig is yours."

"That would be great." Killian told the other man and accepted the position, also filling him in about his new job at the library. They chatted about mundane things until Emma and Maggie came over and interrupted.

"It's almost time for Brinkley's costume contest." Emma said.

They hurried back down the other side of the street and Killian got in line with Brinkley. They made a slow stroll with other dogs and their owners before stopping at the judge's booth.

Brinkley didn't win, but the other costumes were very good. A Doberman in a taco suit won the funny category, an indistinguishable breed of dog dressed as businessman with a suit, tie, hat and glasses won best costume and a pug in a werewolf costume won the scariest. They also saw a spider costume, batman, a walrus, a minion and the ever amusing hot dog.

Joined by David and Maggie, they hung around to watch the children's costume contests, agreeing with the judges that the winners of the group costumes was a definite tie between the characters of Despicable Me and the Avengers.

Maggie suggested they check out the face painting booth and was convinced to have a red apple painted on her cheek. The face painter also managed to convince Emma she needed a butterfly. Killian and David managed to get past the booth paint free.

They wandered around through the vendor tables and then onto the sidewalk, popping into stores to grab a piece of candy here and there before finally ending up on the boardwalk. Killian closed his eyes and tilted his head back, soaking in the weak sunlight on his face. David and Maggie headed back to the restaurant to hand out candy. Killian and Emma remained, watching the waves crash into the shore until a bullhorn sounded, announcing that it was time for the adult pumpkin carving competition.

"Do you have any idea what you'll make?" Emma asked as they headed back down the street to the carving area.

"I'm hoping something comes to me by the time the competition ends," Killian replied. When he signed up he figured some idea would come to him before the competition started, but it hadn't.

"I hope so! Good luck." Emma told him, raising up on her ballet flat covered toes to press a kiss to his cheek. "Brinkley and I will wait for you over there." She pointed in the direction of rows of hay bales set up for those needing to rest for a bit or watch the competition.

Before the competition started, each participant was provided with a tray of tools for carving and decorating and then they were taken over to a large wagon overflowing with pumpkins to choose from.

Killian spotted a tall, oblong pumpkin that started off a pale peach color and gradually darkened into the classic pumpkin orange shade. Inspiration immediately struck.

Returning to his area, Killian caught Emma's eye and winked, giving her a thumbs up to indicate he finally knew what he was going to carve.

A wide smile broke out on her face and he read her lips as she mouthed "good luck" to him.

A whistle blew and it was the start of the competition. Killian immediately got to work cutting a small opening in the bottom of the pumpkin and pulling out the seeds and stringy membranes within.

He carved out the curved body of the guitar first, adding as much detail as possible and did the same with the head. The neck of the guitar was the hardest as he intended to just carve the strings, which required a very steady hand. It took up a lot of time but he was satisfied with the end result.

Killian turned toward the large red clock and saw he still had thirty minutes left. He decided to carve a flame on either side of the guitar, varying in thickness so once a candle was placed inside, it would appear that the flame increased in intensity and brightness. When the announcer called that there was five minutes left, Killian placed his pumpkin on the table and took a step back, inspecting it from all angles. There wasn't a single thing he thought he could do better, so he left it there and placed his name card in front of it and put away the tools he had been provided.

A whistle sounded again, indicating the competition had ended. Three judges came around and assessed each pumpkin. Killian looked over to his right, seeing his competitor had carved _Happy Halloween 2015_ in a swirled font. It was really impressive with the uneven ridges of the pumpkin. The competitor to his left had opted to do a silhouette version. A large circle had been carved out, waves rolling in at the bottom made way to a palm tree.

First place went to another silhouette pumpkin, a cat with an arched back sat next to a tombstone while the sky boasted a witch flying by on her broomstick and a trio of bats. Killian was impressed. It was a beautifully carved pumpkin. The palm tree won second place and Killian was shocked to hear that third place was going to him for the flaming guitar.

Ribbons were attached to the winning pumpkins and they would all be displayed in storefronts for the next few weeks. Killian was given a ten dollar gift card to Sunshine Crepes as his prize. He couldn't help but laugh in amusement.

"You won!" Emma exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "Congrats!"

"Thank you, love. Look at where my gift card is to," he said, holding it out for her to see.

Emma laughed. "I'm sure Betsy won't mind at all. How in the world did you get to be so artistic?" She asked. "First the sand castle and now this. The town is gonna have to ban you from competing."

Killian grinned at her teasing and praise. "From my mother I suppose. Liam told me she kept sketch books all over the house. Doodles mixed in with portraits. I must've stole nearly all the artistic genes. Liam could sing and play a guitar a bit, but couldn't draw a stick figure to save his life."

Emma smiled wistfully at him. "I'm sure they'd both be proud."

Killian nodded, smiling as well. "They would, but it'd likely be for being so lucky to have been chosen by a beautiful and intelligent lass like yourself instead of my artistic abilities."

His words caused her to blush, the pink stain creeping over her cheeks and chest. "If you say so." She told him.

-/-

Killian was slightly disappointed to find out that Emma's cottage wouldn't be visited by trick-or-treaters that evening. Emma had explained that the younger kids likely got their fill earlier at the festival and since her neighborhood didn't have streetlights, the town deemed it unsafe for kids to be scurrying about. The stores on the boardwalk were still open, most handing out candy to the older crowd who had skipped the festival and that many of the strip malls in either direction, as well as the outlets, were giving out candy as well.

She told him how she didn't know the rules the first year she moved to town and never thought to ask anyone or pick up a newspaper listed all of the candy gathering options. She hadn't wanted to disappoint so she bought candy- the good stuff, Reeses pieces and Snickers bars - and was left with two jumbo sized bags of each. After barely making a dent in them and only ending up with a stomachache, she had taken the bags to work at the auto shop in hopes they would disappear. Of course, all the employees with children had brought in their extra candy and they still had bowls of Halloween candy come the following Easter.

Killian stood and took Emma's plate, a pile of pizza crust remained. He made his way to the kitchen and grabbed two more beers for them, dumping the paper plates into the trash can. "I guess you don't want popcorn and a movie then."

"Why not?" Emma asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion, the tiara sliding down.

He had insisted they remain in costume as long as possible. He could tell she was humoring him, cheap polyester and itchy crinoline pulled up to her knees as she sat cross legged on the couch. "You said you were too stuffed to eat another bite of pizza."

She turned to look at him over the back of the couch and shook her head laughing. The movement righted the tiara once more. "There is no such thing as being too full for popcorn."

"My apologies, Princess. I wasn't aware of that rule." Killian said, bowing down at her as he placed the beers on the table and sat down next to her.

"I'll let it pass, pirate. Just this once." Emma said with mock seriousness.

"I suppose we should choose a movie to watch." Killian said grabbing the remote. He queued up Netflix and scrolled through the selections before stopping on the latest Disney princess movie. "Have you watched this yet?"

Emma snorted. "You named your dog after a dog in a chick flick and you want to watch Frozen? What am I going to do with you?"

Killian huffed. "I merely thought a princess would prefer a movie with her own kind."

"And Disney is what came to you?" Emma laughed. "There are plenty of non-animated movies with princesses. A Little Princess, The Princess Diaries, The Princess Bride, Ever After and a whole slew of late nineties, early two thousands movies starting previous pop music stars turned actresses."

Killian frowned, sticking out his tongue at her. "Your point has been made, your highness. Clearly a lowly pirate such as me-self has no film selecting abilities that are suitable for the viewing of a proper, mature princess."

"Shut up and start the movie, pirate. I haven't seen it yet and it's supposed to be pretty good, even for adults." Emma said, tugging on his shoulder until he sat back against the couch.

He lifted his arm and she immediately scooted closer, resting her head against his chest, her body against his side. No sooner as he selected the movie to play, Emma pulled back and quickly extracted the plastic tiara from her head. "Not at all comfortable." She muttered, tossing it onto the table in front of them. It slid around her beer bottle, spinning around to face outward back at them.

Emma's jaw dropped in surprise. "Nice toss there, Princess. I suppose you're quite good at the ring-around-the-bottle carnival games." Killian said.

"Maybe. I haven't played them since I was a kid. So umm, what about that popcorn?" She asked hopeful expression on her face.

Killian laughed as he extricated himself from the couch. He pressed pause on the remote. "Coming right up, your highness."


	45. Chapter 45

Sorry this is late! This week has not gone at all as planned. I sound like a broken record with the reviews, but since I can't respond individually, I just want to say a huge thank you here. I love reading them!

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Chapter 45: Emma

Emma unwound the scarf from around her neck and dropped it onto her desk alongside her keys and travel mug of hot chocolate. Two weeks into November and the weather had finally decided they were moving full steam ahead towards winter. No more days of lingering warmth and sunshine. The last two weeks had been downright chilly and crisp, the winds coming in off the ocean more than enough to take your breath away.

Reluctantly, she unzipped her jacket and shrugged it off. The office of the auto shop didn't have the best heating. She and Ruby had worn their jackets throughout the day more than once. Just last week Jeff had promised to get the heating system looked at but in the meantime had provided them each with a small space heater to keep by their desk.

Ruby shuffled in behind her, stamping her feet and rubbing her hands together as if it were thirty degrees colder than it actually was. Still bundled up, she flopped down into her chair and leaned forward, turning on the space heater. She didn't straighten, instead remained hunched forward holding her hands over the heating device, face ducked down into the scarf she wore.

"It's not _that_ cold." Emma commented, giving her friend an amused look.

Ruby practically growled. "I stayed at Victor's last night. His heat went out and I didn't realize it until I stepped into an ice bucket otherwise known as his shower. Soooo coooldddd." She rubbed her hands together in front of the space heater, cranked up as high as it would go.

"That sucks." Emma replied, sitting down and turning on her computer. "Why didn't you go home and take a hot shower?"

"I didn't want to be late. I mean, I know Jeff wouldn't have cared that much, but I thought I'd thaw out in the car. No such luck." Ruby replied. "How unsafe do you think it is for me to hug this?"

"I think it has a safety feature that if it tilts it turns off." Emma answered, trying to keep the amusement out of her voice.

"Damnit." Ruby muttered, then perked up considerably. "Coffee! You love me enough to make me a cup right? So I can hang out here with my heat producing friend?"

Emma snorted. "I guess, but you know I don't drink the stuff."

"We have a Keurig now. No measuring needed. I don't need cream or anything and I have sugar packets at my desk." Ruby replied.

Emma got up and made her way down the hall to the break room. A line of coworkers stood in front of the coffee pot, all holding their mugs out impatiently. She never cared much for coffee, usually finding it too bitter, unless it was one of those fancy drinks that had more than seven words in the name and was made practically of pure sugar, which then of course was too sweet. Hot chocolate usually provided enough caffeine to get her going, but on the really bad days where no amount of sugar and chocolate would clear the cobwebs from her brain, she'd make a cup of the rich brew, dump in some milk and sugar and a few ice cubes, waiting until it cooled enough to swallow, then practically chug it down to get past the flavor.

When it was finally her turn, she spun around the carousel of pods, grinning when she saw that hot chocolate ones were mixed in with the coffee choices. _Maybe I'll have another cup later on_ she thought, pleased that Jeff had included her choices when purchasing beverages for the staff. One steaming mug of coffee later, she headed back down the hall and deposited it onto Ruby's desk.

Her friend had finally removed her coat but left her scarf and gloves on. She was no longer hunched over the space heater, but had tucked it under her desk, keeping it as close as possible.

"It smells like pumpkin pie in here. What is that?" Emma asked, pointing to the source of the smell.

"Scentsy warmer. You plug it in, add some of the wax things and boom, delicious smells." Ruby told her.

"But pumpkin pie, really? Now I'm going to be starving before lunch." Emma said, inhaling deeply. For scented wax, it mimicked the smell of the classic fall dessert perfectly.

"I know. Maybe this wasn't the best choice. Now I'm going to have to figure out how to make one for the holidays. Actually, what do you think about having a Friendsgiving?" Ruby asked.

Emma shrugged. Since leaving her aunt and uncle she typically picked up a frozen meal containing turkey and mashed potatoes and enjoyed it with a bottle of wine on her couch for the Thanksgiving holiday. Last year she had tried a more homemade route, cooking a small turkey breast and making mashed potatoes from scratch. She combined it with a box of stuffing and a can of green beans. It had been infinitely better than the frozen stuff of years past, but it was a lot of work for one person and the reward didn't seem quite worth all of the effort. She told her friend as much. "I don't know, it's a lot of work."

"I know, but I think that's part of the fun. It doesn't need to be anything elaborate. Probably just Victor and I, you and Killian. I'll ask Jeff if he and Grace want to stop by since I know they don't usually do anything." Ruby replied.

"Food for six can be a lot." Emma warned, but as she thought about it, it seemed like a good idea. She hadn't talked to Killian about the holiday yet but figured they were likely spending it together. "But what the hell, let's try it."

Ruby beamed at her. "I guess we need to write up a menu, right?"

Between phone calls and customer visits, the two created a pretty standard Thanksgiving menu; a small turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. Over lunch they looked through recipes and picked out the ones that looked the best. Copies printed, a grocery list was made and the tasks divided.

"If I knew I could count on anyone else coming, I'd divide it up more. Do you think this is too much for each of us?" Ruby asked. Since she was hosting she had agreed to take on the turkey, stuffing and pie. Emma and Killian would be responsible for the rest of the dishes. They both knew Victor was completely useless in a kitchen and Ruby decided to assign him to buying alcohol and playing bartender.

"I think we'll be okay." Emma replied. "Oh! Hey, look at this. Betsy is holding a cooking class. It's to make an apple pie from scratch." She held up a flyer that had come in the mail.

Merely saying the words had caused her mouth to water. A fresh apple pie wasn't something she enjoyed often, only during the fall season when the local diners had them in stock, but there was just something about the barest hint of crisp left in the apples, covered in cinnamon and sugar and baked together.

"Two pies is too much to take on. We can't skip pumpkin, it's classic." Ruby said, not at all convincingly.

"Right. Pumpkin is good enough." Emma said, nodding.

"But you love cinnamon. And apple pie has cinnamon." Ruby replied.

Emma frowned. "Pumpkin pie has cinnamon too, I think."

"We could just take the class and not make it for Friendsgiving, right? When is the class." Ruby asked.

"That's true. It's this Saturday at ten." Emma answered.

"I'm free." Ruby replied immediately.

"Me too." Emma said cautiously.

Ruby grinned. "Gimme that damn flyer. I need to sign us up."

Emma didn't hesitate for a second before tossing the flyer over to Ruby who punched in the numbers to Betsy's so fast Emma wouldn't even have had a chance to change her mind. "Hey Betsy, it's Ruby. Yeah, so Emma and I are signing up for this apple pie baking class of yours. Genius idea! Yeah? Okay, cool we'll see you on Saturday. Bye."

"It's seven dollars to offset the cost of ingredients and we start at ten sharp. Your boyfriend was actually in the shop signing up as we speak." Ruby told Emma.

A moment later Emma heard her phone chime, a text coming through. _I challenge you to an apple pie baking competition. Prettiest pie gets a massage._

Emma grinned at her phone. _You're on._ She quickly typed back.

-\\-

"Welcome! I had no idea what to expect, offering this class. I'm glad it's not just me here." Betsy said welcoming everyone. "So who has baked an apple pie before?"

The class consisted of Emma, Killian, Ruby, David and Maggie and a few people she didn't recognize, one of which was holding up their hand.

"Well, then Sue. Looks like you are my experienced baker of the day." Betsy said grinning at the woman with her hand raised. "Let's get started. First we're going to prepare a crust and while the dough is chilling, we'll peel and slice up the apples so they are ready to go. Come on over to the stations I have set up."

Emma followed the group over, placing herself between Killian and Ruby. David, Maggie and Sue were across from them at the large prep islands Betsy had set up.

"Now I understand that homemade pie crust is intimidating, but you really have nothing to worry about. You just need cold butter and time for the dough to chill. But I completely understand keeping the store-bought stuff hanging out in the fridge in case you find yourself in a real pinch." Betsy told everyone, walking around and handing out white aprons for them all to put on.

Emma glanced around at the others. Everyone had a combination of worry and excitement on their faces. She took in the ingredients in front of them, a huge basket full of Granny Smith and a red apple she didn't know the brand of, huge containers of flour, bags of two types of sugar, containers of salt and spices and milk sitting in pitchers on ice.

"Now who sees what's missing from the ingredients in front of you?" Betsy asked.

"The butter." Emma replied immediately.

Betsy grinned at her. "Right you are Emma. While I trust the buttermilk to keep cold enough on ice, you don't want to take your butter out of the fridge until you're ready to work with it. So keep that in mind if you're daring enough to try this recipe at home later on.

That reminds me. This is a buttermilk pie crust recipe and you'll all receive a printed copy to take home, along with your pie of course. This recipe makes two pie crusts. Now, let's get started. Everyone grab the large metal bowl underneath your stations. It has measuring cups inside. You need to measure out two and half cups of flour, two tablespoons of sugar and three quarters of a teaspoon of salt and pour it into the bowl." Betsy said, dragging a chalkboard out of a back room that included the measurements and ingredients she had just stated.

Emma worked backwards, adding the salt and sugar to the bowl first before measuring out the flour. She used a butter knife to level off the flour, dumping the excess back into the flour container and causing Betsy to come pat her on the back.

"Ah yes, Emma here reminded me of something very important. You need to level off your cups of flour, no heaping cups for this recipe. Too much flour and your dough will be too dry. Too little flour and you'll have a real sticky mess on your hands. If you didn't level off the top, just dump your ingredients in the trash and try again."

It appeared everyone had followed the leveling offing instructions as they all patiently waited for the next set of instructions from Betsy.

"Alright, here is your butter." Betsy said walking around the class and depositing two sticks of butter in front of each person. "Now work quickly to cut the butter into cubes with the knives provided. Try not to touch the butter until after it's cut. Then add it to the bowl with your flour mixture and use your fingers to cut the butter into the flour. Work quickly as to not have it warm up from the residual warmth of your hands. When the mixture is like coarse crumbs, some the size of peas and some smaller you've gotten it right."

Emma watched as Killian quickly sliced up his butter into small cubes and dumped it into the bowl. "I think it's easier to work with it if the butter cubes are as small as possible." He told her and Emma decided to try his technique for herself, finding that Ruby was doing the same.

She couldn't help wrinkling her nose as her fingers pressed into the butter and flour. The combination of cold, smoothness and dry lumps was strange. She worked the mixture through her fingers breaking up the large clumps of flour and hunks of butter until everything was mixed together.

Ruby leaned over and looked into her bowl. "Okay good, mine looks like yours. I didn't completely screw this up. Yet."

Killian laughed. "You'll be fine. It's just dough."

Betsy came around checking on the consistency of everyone's dough, having a few of them continue to mix the butter into the flour until the right consistency was achieved.

"Now, here's where the real fun begins. Make a well in the center of dough and pour the buttermilk on in. Use a fork to try to moisten all of the flour mixture, until the buttermilk is incorporated. Then you need to sprinkle your workspace with some flour so nothing sticks and dump the dough out on top. The dough will be shaggy. Divide in half and knead until you can form two equal sized discs that hold together nicely." Betsy instructed.

Emma mixed everything together until the dough was moist, then continued following instructions and floured her surface before dumping out the dough.

She divided the dough and began kneading it when Betsy stopped at their workstation. "You'll need a little more buttermilk," She told David. "Your dough is a little dry. Add a teaspoon and let me see it."

"What am I doing wrong?" Ruby asked, her dough not coming together as it should.

"More buttermilk for you as well. Put the dough back in the bowl and add 2 teaspoons." Betsy instructed.

Ruby followed directions and the next time she dumped her dough onto the workstation it held together nicely and allowed her to knead it.

"Once you have your dough into discs, wrap it up in plastic wrap and write your initials on the top. Then bring it over to me and I'll get it in the fridge. You can wash your hands to remove any dough and we'll get started on preparing the apples next." Betsy informed the group.

With her dough complete and in Betsy's care, Emma washed her hands and returned back to her spot. Maggie was eyeing the red apples with distrust. Before she could ask about it, Ruby did.

"You okay there Maggie? You look like that apple killed your parents." She joked.

David laughed and Maggie flushed nearly the same color as the apple. "I'm not sure why I hate them so much but red apples make me incredibly uncomfortable." Maggie explained.

"I'm not allowed to buy them." David chimed in. "Only green and yellow apples are allowed in the house."

"Oh shut up." Maggie said teasingly, elbowing her husband. "You can buy them. I just don't want them in the same bowl as the apples I eat."

They chatted about Maggie's dislike of red apples until Betsy clapped her hands, indicating they were ready to begin again.

"For a wonderful apple pie, you need to use more than one type of apple. The green apples are Granny Smith's in case you didn't know and they are very tart. They bake very nicely but in order to balance out the tartness you want to use a sweeter apple instead of more sugar. The red apples in the basket are Pink Lady apples. They're sweeter but still have a hint of tartness and pair very nicely together with the Granny Smith. You could also use a Honeycrisp apple, which is my personal favorite but they have a very short season and are usually pretty expensive." Betsy told them.

"A good apple pie has a lot of apples in it. You'll each need two and a half pounds of apples, which is right around eight apples, give or take, depending on the size of each. You'll want no more than half to be of each variety. They need to be peeled and then sliced to one quarter of an inch. Too thick and they won't cook evenly, too thin and they'll break up into apple mush while cooking." Betsy held up a slice of an apple, turning it around to show everyone the correct thickness. "Get your apples peeled and sliced and place them in the bowl in front of you."

"I hate peelers." Ruby commented, holding the tool awkwardly in her hand.

"It's in the wrist." Killian explained, holding out his peeler and an apple and gently slicing off a layer of skin.

Ruby mimicked his movement and grinned in surprise at how easily the skin came off the apple. Emma held back a laugh. She had no idea how Ruby was going to pull off a Friendsgiving when she was uncomfortable around a peeler.

Emma concentrated on peeling and slicing her apples and putting them in the bowl in front of her.

" Oh yeah!" Ruby said, getting her attention. Turning toward her friend she saw Ruby was looking at David and Maggie. "I've decided to have a Friendsgiving this year. You guys are more than welcome to stop by."

Maggie beamed back at Ruby. "We have dinner with my parents but it's early. I'm sure we can manage to pop in, even if it's only for dessert. Text me when you know the time, okay?"

"What I'm not invited?" Killian teased Ruby.

Ruby rolled her eyes. Emma looked between her friend and boyfriend amused. "I didn't think you need a handwritten invitation, Killian." Ruby said in mock exasperation. "I invited Emma. That means you're invited."

"Invited? I'm pretty sure you just gave me a list of food to make." Emma joked.

"Same difference." Ruby muttered, tossing the last of her apple slices into the bowl.

Betsy walked around squirting liquid into each of their bowls. "That was lemon juice. Toss your apples around it in to stop them from browning. Now add a quarter cup of brown sugar, a quarter cup of granulated sugar, one and half teaspoons of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg and one quarter teaspoon of salt. Stir that all together and let it marinate. We're going to take a thirty minute break while the spices and the apple slices get happy together. If you'll head back out into the restaurant, I have some coffee and cookies for you."

The time passed quickly and the group was filing back behind the counter and to their stations. Betsy had placed their dough in front of each of them. "Now, side note. You can prepare the dough up to three days in advance and keep it in the fridge. You can also peel and slice your apples and keep them in the fridge overnight as long as you used lemon juice and cover them. I've let you dough rest to warm back up. Cold dough doesn't roll out. Keep that in mind. Flour your surfaces and place one disc of the dough on top. Grab a rolling pin and get to rolling. You'll want your dough to be one eighth of an inch thick. If it breaks, mold it back together into a ball and start rolling out again."

It appeared everyone was struggling with their dough as Betsy walked around the room and ended up stopping at each station. Emma was barely satisfied with hers, it seemed to be a bit too thick and wasn't as round as she would have liked. To everyone's surprise, David's dough was rolled out into a perfect circle and was of even thickness throughout. "I helped my grandmother make dough when I was a kid." He replied sheepishly.

Betsy came around and placed pie plates and a colander in front of everyone. "Transfer your apples to the colander with the bowl underneath. You need to drain off all that excess juice that appeared so you don't have a soggy pie. Then you need to mix in one tablespoon plus one teaspoon of cornstarch into the apples until it is fully incorporated. Use the pat of butter I gave you to fully grease your pie pan and then place the dough you rolled out on top of it. Gently tear off the excess, leaving a bit extra so that you can crimp it to the top piece once the apples are in."

She waited until everyone had done as she instructed and then continued. "Spread the apples out in the pie crust in an even layer so it bakes evenly. It's okay if your apples come up over the sides of the pie plate, the crust can be draped on top. Now here's your other disc of dough that I've had warming up. You'll need to roll that out to one eighth of an inch as well. And you have some options. A lattice crust is the most difficult so we won't attempt that today unless you all can agree it's what you want to do. I think the best option is what I like to call a window crust. You'll use the cookie cutters there to cut between our between one and four, depending on the size, shapes out of the dough, then you'll gently lift and lower the dough over the apple creating a window where you can see in while it's baking. This also allows for steam to escape which gives you a crisper pie."

Emma was curious to know how difficult a lattice top would be. Killian agreed with her but everyone else at their table was interested in a top that allowed the fruit to be seen below, as did the rest of the class.

Emma opted to use an leaf shaped cookie cutter to cut out her dough. She carefully draped it over the pie, pleased with the results. Without instruction from Betsy, both she and Killian trimmed their excess dough and crimped the edges with their fingers creating a wave pattern.

Betsy came around and nodded at their progress. When the rest of the group had caught up, Betsy explained how to crimp the edges and then to brush over the top crust with an egg wash to get the pretty golden color.

After everyone had done that, Betsy gathered their pies and placed them in oven. "You'll bake these for fifty minutes at 425 degrees. After about thirty minutes you'll need to cover the crusts with foil to stop them from getting too dark, but in the meantime let's let them bake while we enjoy some more coffee."

As the pies baked, the scent of cinnamon and apples filled the small shop. Emma felt her mouth practically watering in anticipation. To keep things moving quickly Betsy showed everyone how to cover their crusts but did it for each pie to get them back into the oven quicker.

Finally each of the pies were complete, golden brown on top and bubbling with cinnamon sugary goodness. Betsy told them they had the option to try a slice or take home a complete pie. Everyone wanted to try their own pie so after they rested, Betsy sliced into each one and served up a hearty slice along with fresh whipped cream she had made.

"Oh my god." Ruby moaned taking a bite of her pie. "This is so good. I can't believe I made it."

Maggie and David traded bites of each other's pies, complimenting each other on their techniques. Emma was pleased with her pie. The apples held the tiniest bit of crunch and were covered in cinnamon-y goodness (she nearly doubled the amount of cinnamon the recipe called for).

Killian laughed softly as he tried a bite of Emma's pie, he had chided her for adding too much cinnamon but it wasn't overpowering the pie by any means.

"So do you think we've mastered the art of apple pie making?" Killian asked.

"I don't know if I actually want to do this at home. It's a lot of work." Emma said.

"I know without a doubt that I will without a doubt screw this up if I try to make it at home. Emma you were more successful than me, you get pie duty for Thanksgiving." Ruby announced.

Before Emma could reply Killian answered for her. "My pie turned out pretty decently. I'll make pie. Apple or do you want pumpkin?"

"Pumpkin." Emma and Ruby answered simultaneously.

"So Emma and I had a bet." Killian said addressing the table. "Which one of us had the prettier pie?"

It was quickly decided that Emma's choice of a leaf shaped cookie cutter made her pie prettier than Killian's.

"I win!" Emma boasted to Killian, a smirk on her face.


	46. Chapter 46

**So uh, it's Friday, not Tuesday. I'm sorry! The past two weeks have been completely insane at work and home and this chapter refused to come together. Better late than never?**

* * *

Chapter 46: Killian

Killian pushed the cart stacked high with books through the aisles of the library, returning the books to their proper homes. He inhaled deeply, that unique papery scent all libraries held, invaded his senses reminding him of being a child and coming to the library for the first time.

Back then the building had seemed extremely large and imposing, huge sections dedicated to topics he couldn't yet pronounce. He had followed Liam around the corner to the children's section, brightly painted with child-sized tables and a massive amount of stuffed animals. Liam had left him in front of a shelf of picture books and made his way over to the Young Adult section.

"Killian?" A voice called, breaking Killian from his childhood memory.

He whipped around to find Lizzie standing behind him, looking a bit flustered. "Yes?" He asked.

"We have a group of preschool children coming in today expecting a puppet show. Jessica uses her own personal puppets and called out sick today. Could you read to the children?" She informed him.

Killian smiled. "I believe I can handle reading to a group of children. Is there a story preference?"

Lizzie smiled, relieved. "No. Also, I have confirmed with their teacher, none of the children have a dog allergy so if you wanted Brinkley to join you for the storytelling, that would be acceptable."

"He'll be thrilled to be the center of attention." Killian answered honestly. Lizzie thanked him repeatedly before making her way back to the entrance.

Killian finished putting away the books on the cart, ending with the children's section so he could choose a book for later in the afternoon. He wandered through the aisles, crouching down to get a good look at his options. Eventually he decided to choose a book about giving a dog donuts.

He read the book through to familiarize himself with the story and then headed into the back room of the library to get Brinkley. Lizzie or one of the other staff must have brought in an old dog bed as that was where Killian found Brinkley curled up. The staff had immediately taken to him, Brinkley being his usual charming self.

"Come on, we're reading a story to children." Killian said to Brinkley, picking up the leash that trailed behind the dog. "Let's get you a potty break first."

He took Brinkley out behind the library and had just come back in when he saw the children coming in through the main entrance. "It's show time." He told Brinkley.

Killian had dragged the large rocking chair over to a geometric-printed rug in front of a few tables, providing the children with more than enough seating space. Brinkley settled in next to Killian, resting his head on his paws as they waited for the children to make their way over.

A teacher and an aide settled the children down who all looked at Brinkley in surprise. Killian overheard whispers of wanting to pet him. When they were all seated, he spoke. "Hello there. My name is Killian and this is my dog Brinkley. Brinkley is a golden retriever. Say 'hello' Brinkley."

Brinkley let out a short bark in response, causing the children to laugh.

"Now I know you expected to come here and see a puppet show, but the puppets are so cranky that we had to put them down for a nap. I thought I could read a story to you instead. It's about a dog who gets donuts." He told them, smiling when a little girl in the front row raised her hand.

"Can I pet Brinkley?" She asked. Before he could answer all of the other children were asking about him as well.

"Sure." He turned to look at their teacher who sat nearby. "How about you all get into a line and each of you can come up to pet him."

The children lined up immediately, each thrilled as they got to come up and pet Brinkley. To Killian's surprise, Brinkley didn't roll over for belly rubs, but remained upright, guiding the children to pet him on the head.

As the last child patted Brinkley, Killian got an idea. "I have a question for you." He told the kids. "We can either read a story, or I can show you all of Brinkley's magic tricks. If you want to hear the story, put your hand on your head. If you want to see the magic tricks, put your hand on your belly."

All of the children immediately placed their hands on their stomachs, looking hopefully at Killian.

"Well, that's settled. Now I'll need you all to stay seated unless I call one of you up to assist me, okay?" Killian asked.

The children nodded, calling out a chorus of affirmative answers.

Killian slid onto the floor next to Brinkley pushing back the rocking chair. He held out his hand. "Brinkley, shake."

Brinkley immediately placed his paw in Killian's hand to be shook. "Other paw." Brinkley switched paws. "You can't do both, can you?" Brinkley snorted, placing both paws in Killian's hands.

The kids laughed. "You sure showed me." Killian said. "What about high five?" He held his hand up, causing Brinkley to drop down onto one paw and reach up to press his other one against Killian's hand.

Killian walked Brinkley through the commands for lying down, sitting up, playing dead, and rolling over much to the kid's delight. He decided to ramp up the tricks, requesting the Brinkley dance with him, bow, and playing peek-a-boo. Brinkley gave Killian a hug and a kiss and hid his face in his paws. Killian had him nod his head, bark silently and chase his tail around in a circle.

Killian ended the tricks by having Brinkley walk backward, shaking his behind as he went. Most of the kids were laughing so hard they were crying and unable to sit still. He glanced over at the teacher, worried he had worked them up too much but found her smiling as well. To calm the kids back down, he chose them at random to command Brinkley to perform tricks until the teacher told them they needed to leave Killian and Brinkley and pick out a book to take home.

The children grumbled and dragged their feet until Killian started leading them over the bookshelves, Brinkley close on his heels to point his nose in the direction of a book for each child.

When they had left, Killian straightened up the area and took Brinkley outside again, this time rewarding him with a treat. "You're a real ham you know. I'm pretty sure those kids like you better than me."

Brinkley snorted in response, making Killian think that was exactly the case.

"There you are." Lizzie said coming out to join them. "You have quite the entertainer here, Killian." She said, bending down to pet him.

"I know. I was just telling him as much. I hope you don't mind that I chose that over reading to them." Killian replied.

"The children loved you. Absolutely loved you both. And not at all. They were expecting puppets so I'm not sure a story would have held their interest as well. Actually, I think we may need to use Brinkley in place of puppet shows again in the near future. I'd wager that the older children would like him and find his tricks just as amusing." Lizzie told him.

"I'm sure he would like that very much, wouldn't you, Brinkley?" Killian asked and Brinkley responded by nodding his head enthusiastically, causing Killian to raise his eyes upward and shake his head slightly.

Lizzie laughed. "What a character."

"Don't I know it." Killian replied.

-\\-

Killian set down bags of groceries onto his counters. Emma had told him that they needed to get the ingredients for Ruby's Friendsgiving well in advance or the grocery store would be mobbed. Killian assured her that was not the case and insisted he could go out the morning before and not run into any crowds.

He should have listened to Emma.

It took him over three hours, making trips to multiple stores trying to pick up the limited ingredients needed for the holiday celebration. The first store was sold out of eggs, butter and canned pumpkin. The second store he went to had the pumpkin and eggs, but not butter. He finally found the butter at the third store he visited but realized he hadn't added vanilla extract to the list and was forced to get out of the fifteen people deep line to wander around the unfamiliar store in search of the flavoring.

"What was I thinking?" He asked Brinkley who responded with a knowing look.

He was shoving the butter into the refrigerator when his phone chimed. Pulling it out of his pocket, he found texts from Emma and Ruby. Ruby's appeared first. It was an image of what he assumed was her kitchen, ingredients spilling over the countertops in disarray. WTF WAS I THINKING? She had captioned it.

Before replying he checked his text from Emma. _Ruby is in meltdown mode. She just called me yelling about the differences of stuffing or dressing and why anyone would eat out of a turkey's ass. Wanna take our stuff and go over there to help her?_

Killian laughed out loud. _I'm packing up my groceries now. I'll pick you up and we'll head over._

 _See you soon!_ Emma responded.

Killian switched back to Ruby's text, looking at the photo again. It kind of reminded him of an I Spy book where he needed to find certain items hidden within the picture. Laughing again he replied to Ruby. _I spy celery, bread and measuring cups. Or am I supposed to be looking for Waldo?_

Three little dots appeared on his screen and he could picture her typing furiously. Quickly he sent another text. _Emma and I are on the way to help._

The dots disappeared immediately as though she were erasing her initial reply then, _I owe you_.

-\\-

"Hi. What was I thinking? Am I insane? Who the hell decides to invite six people over for Thanksgiving without ever having cooked a turkey before? I must be certifiable. Or I have wedding brain. No, I was clearly abducted by aliens. I can hardly cook." Ruby blurted out the moment she opened the door for Killian and Emma to come in.

Killian stifled his laughter but Emma didn't bother. She didn't speak but he could tell she was silently offering her a friend an _I told you so._

"Relax. You have until three in the afternoon tomorrow. Now let's divide and conquer, okay?" Killian reassured her.

He cleared a space on her table to place all of the groceries he had brought and grabbed the pile of recipes she had stacked up on the counter. He read through them, seeing what could be made in advance and what was better off waiting until the next day, separating them into two piles. Then he went through all of the ingredients and grouped them together by what was needed immediately and what could wait until later on.

After confirming the turkey wasn't frozen, he set Ruby out to find serving dishes for the meal and assigned Emma to chopping up vegetables. Ruby ended up needing to go out and buy a few things and by the time she had returned, Killian had butter and herbs slathered all over the turkey, the pumpkin pie cooked and was starting on the apple pie. He assigned Ruby to peeling potatoes to make mashed potatoes and Emma volunteered to take over making the stuffing.

Emma and Ruby worked together to prepare the green bean casserole, both surprised when Killian told them that they could prepare it in advance.

After pulling the apple pie out of the oven, Killian looked around. "I think we have everything pretty much ready to go for tomorrow. Get the turkey in the oven early, it needs at least six hours to cook. Boil the potatoes then mash with milk, butter and salt. Everything else just needs to be heated up. We can come back over before three tomorrow to make sure you can get it all in the oven."

Emma yawned, looking at the time on Ruby's microwave and was shocked to see how late it had gotten. "See, this wasn't as terrible as you thought it was going to turn out." She told her friend.

"Wait until tomorrow and say that. But seriously, I don't think we would be eating anything at all if you both hadn't come over. I was so overwhelmed. Killian you are seriously a lifesaver." Ruby said, flopping down onto a chair.

"It was no trouble." He told her seriously. "Now if you think you're good for tomorrow, we'll head out for the night."

"Yeah, I think I'm good. You guys basically did everything. Thank you so much." Ruby said, following them to her front door.

-\\-

Emma wrapped her arm over his waist, fingers lightly pressing against his ribs. He fought the urge to jerk at the contact, trying to convince himself that he wasn't ticklish. "Are you always that calm and take charge?"

"Hmm?" He mumbled, not lifting his head from where it rested in her hair.

"Today. You just strolled into Ruby's place and set up a game plan and we were done in a few hours. That would have taken Ruby and I all night if we were alone." She told him.

Killian shrugged. "I suppose so. I just saw a situation that needed to have someone take control and organize it, so I did."

Emma's lips pressed against his chest. "It's kinda hot."

Killian felt his lips curl up into a grin. Pulling her on top of him, his eyebrow arched at her. "Oh, is it?" He asked.

Her fingertips made a slow descent from his neck to his chest, a smirk appearing on her face. "A little." She said, fingertips grazing over his stomach and hips.

His hips lifted at the sensation, pressing into her. "Just a little?"

His hands rested on her hips, bunching the soft cotton of the nightie she wore between his fingers. Starting with his pinkies, his fingers slid one by one under the material until they were brushing against her smooth skin. Emma rolled her hips down into his making her intentions clear.

Moving one hand to her thigh, he traced the lace edging of her panties from one hip to the other. Emma rose up on her knees as his fingertip followed the lace edging down her inner thigh. He switched to her other leg purposely not touching her where she wanted. He repeated the motion a few more times listening to how her breath would catch as soon as he approached her inner thigh. On his third pass through, he curled his finger just under the lace to touch her skin. A gasp escaped her lips, her hips pushing forward toward him. He continued tracing the lace with his left hand, inching closer and closer with each pass. His right hand slid up the back of her nightie, tracing the length of her spine which arched under his touch. He followed the path around her hips, brushing against her lower stomach before coming back up to her ribs, fingertips brushing the underside of her breasts, causing her to gasp again.

His right hand lingered there, tracing the swells of her breasts and up to her sternum as his left hand inched closer, fingertips finally brushing against her center. A low moan escaped her lips and he felt her legs tremble. He continued the whisper light touches, her hips canting forward with each movement trying to increase the friction. His right hand cupped her breast, thumb brushing over the already pebbled peak. "Ready for me already." He whispered, dragging his finger slowly back and forth.

Her knees shifted apart, widening her kneeled stance to give him more access. "Yes." She muttered. Killian's eyes drifted up her body, his fingers rubbing against her center gave way to an expanse of smooth skin arched backward, her fingers holding the nightie up as his other hand fondled her breast. Her hair hung around her face messily and even in the dark he could see the desire in her eyes.

"Come up here." He commanded.

Emma leaned forward, golden locks cocooning his head as her lips crashed into his. He dominated the kiss, tilting her head for better access and teasing her with each stroke of his tongue against hers. His hands curled around her bottom as they broke the kiss for air. "While I never tire of kissing you, love, that wasn't what I meant." He pushed the bottom half of her towards him.

"What did you…" She started to ask breathlessly before it dawned on her. "Oh. _Ohh."_

"You making it a bit hard to take charge when you're staying still." He mused, smirking at her.

Emma blinked a few times. "Tell me again." She returned his smirk.

His eyebrows raised in challenge. "Come up here." He commanded, voice stern.

He adjusted the pillow, scooting further down the bed as Emma came forward to hover over his face.

He traced the lace edging of her inner thigh with his tongue, feeling her legs tremble. "That's a good girl. Hold onto the headboard."

Emma complied, gasping as he used his teeth and tongue to push aside her underwear. He watched her writhe above him as he teased her.

"Killian." She whined, shifting to try and bring him closer.

He decided to relent a little, kneading her breasts with both hands but keeping the ministrations of his mouth deliberately slow. Her thighs trembled violently around his head, her breathing shallow, hitching with each pause he made.

"More. Please." She muttered.

His hands stilled, lips coming to kiss her inner thigh. "I don't seem to remember you being in charge."

Lust-filled green eyes met his in a defiant stare. "What's the punishment if I don't listen?"

Killian adopted his cockiest smirk. "I'll continue what I was doing, not letting you fall over the edge."

"And if I behave?" She questioned.

"As many orgasms as you can handle. Perhaps it would be a good evening to set a new record." He replied.

"I accept your terms." She told him.

Killian nodded, tapping on the inside of her knee. "Wider." She complied immediately. "Take off the nightie. It's in my way."

Emma pulled the nightie over her head, tossing it behind her. "So beautiful." He murmured, sliding his hands up her body. Her back arched, pressing her breasts further into his hands, hips tilting forward towards his mouth. "Do you want me to take my time?"

"No, I-" she started before thinking better of it. "You're in charge. I want you to do whatever you think is best." She amended.

"Good choice." He praised her. "Hands back on the headrest. Tell me how you feel." His tongue traced the seam of her leg, scruff scratching against her chin.

"Teased. It tickles a little." She replied.

He sucked a mark into her skin, thumbs rubbing over her erect nipples. "Branded. Turned on." She said.

"Do you like that?" He asked. "Being marked by me." He switched to her other leg.

"Yes. Because it's you." She nearly whispered, the admission making him want her even more.

Killian decided to give her a break with teasing, she was doing as he asked. He tilted his head, mouth hovering right below her center. He let out a breath, amused to see goosebumps appear on her flesh.

"Ready. Impatient." Her words brought him back to the task at hand, tilting his head until his lips met her heated flesh. She let out a long sigh. "So good. Dizzy." She muttered.

He hasn't expected her to continue describing it for him but found he couldn't bring himself to tell her to stop. He alternated between a slow and fast pace, hands moving to her legs to stop them from shaking, listening as she praised him and described how undone he was making her. He brought her right to the edge, then pulled back slightly.

"Come." He commanded, resuming the fast pace as moans and sighs escaped her lips, her hips bucking wildly. "I said come." He repeated loudly, pleased as her body immediately went rigid, then shook as the waves of her orgasm washed over her.


	47. Chapter 47

Hello! I meant to share this with you this morning, but the day got away from me. (Which is awesome when you're on vacation and not at work.) I'm at the Delaware beaches, in the town where this story is based. So far it's provided a decent amount of inspiration although it is a bit weird to be writing about Thanksgiving and cold weather when it's currently in the low 80's. The rest of my vacation week is supposed to be pretty laid back and relaxing so my fingers are crossed I can get quite a few chapters written.

I hope you enjoy the Friends-giving!

* * *

Chapter 47: Emma

"Happy Thanksgiving-Friendsgiving?" Emma corrected herself as they walked into Ruby's living room.

"Let's call it either." Ruby replied, grabbing their coats. "I'd say, come sit and relax but you both know I need help in the kitchen, so um, help?"

"Do you know who is coming?" Killian asked.

"Victor will be here shortly. He has to finish studying and then he's swinging by the liquor store to pick up more wine. David and Maggie said they would drop by around five, likely for dessert and Jeff said he and Grace would call any minute now if they're coming." Ruby answered, ushering them both into the kitchen.

"Can you check the mashed potatoes?" Ruby asked Emma. "I was worried about over-salting so I don't think I added enough at all. And why doesn't anyone warn you what type of arm workout it is to mash five pounds of potatoes? I could skip the gym for a week."

"You don't go to the gym." Emma pointed out.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "If I did, I meant."

Killian checked on the turkey in the oven, basting it with chicken stock and Ruby added the crispy topping to the green bean casserole. Once the potatoes were properly salted, Emma transferred them into Ruby's slow cooker to warm up.

Emma helped Ruby set the table and the three of them made their way to the couch with drinks in hand (wine for Ruby and Emma, a beer for Killian) and turned on the television to watch the Macy's Day Parade that Ruby had recorded from earlier in the morning.

They talked about whether it would ever be worth it to attend, standing in the crowds of people in chilly weather all bundled up waiting for the parade to begin. "I'm sure it's fun, but I don't think the view is the same if everything is going by above you, you know? Like that one," Ruby pointed to a children's television show character making its way down the street. "The underside of a dog? His face is the selling point. The overhead view from the cameras is probably the best view you can get. Or a hotel room with a view of the parade route, but I can't even imagine how much that goes for and how early you would need to book it. Probably like June."

Victor showed up during a lull in the parade, carrying three bottles of wine and two six-packs of beer. "Planning on a real party, eh?" Killian asked, taking some of the alcohol from him and putting it on the small amount of remaining counter space in the kitchen.

"The turkey is done Ruby, I'm going to sit it on top of the stove to let it cool before it needs to be carved." Killian told Ruby.

Panic flared across Ruby's face. "Please tell me you know how to carve a turkey, Jones."

Emma turned to Killian for his response. She had watched more than enough episodes of cooking shows on television where they showed you how to do it, but she had a feeling that it wasn't going to be as easy as the professional chefs made it look.

"Not exactly, but there is always the Internet for guidance. I'm sure we'll do just fine."

-/-

Prepared dishes covered the tops of Ruby's counters and dining room table. Jeff and his daughter Grace had arrived, presenting Ruby with a bouquet of flowers, hues of reds, yellows and oranges surrounded by dark green leaves. Ruby had placed the flowers into a vase at once, setting it in the middle of the table as a centerpiece.

Everyone had made their way to the dining room table, glasses of their preferred drinks in hand. Ruby had just placed the basket of rolls on the table, luring them all into table with the scent of yeasty, warm bread. Emma slipped into the kitchen, quietly setting down her wine glass on the corner of the countertop.

Killian was hunched over the counter, turkey in front of him on a serving tray, two chef's knives on the side. His phone was propped up behind the turkey, a video showing how to carve one playing.

"Hey." Emma said softly, coming up behind him. "Having any luck?" She pressed her head to his shoulder, leaning over to get a better look at the turkey and the video.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. I've watched the video multiple times but I'm still not convinced I know where to start slicing." Killian admitted, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Restart the video." Emma said. "We're two adults. It's a cooked bird. We should be able to figure this out."

Killian tucked her hair behind her ear, finger trailing down the sensitive skin of her neck that he exposed. Emma turned her head slightly to look at him. His lips pressed against her neck under her ear. Goosebumps broke out over her skin. "It's kind of hot when you take charge too." He murmured, pressing kisses down the column of her neck.

"This isn't going to get us any closer to carving a turkey." Emma half-heartedly reminded him.

Killian turned her in his arm, lips coming to find hers. "But it's much more enjoyable."

Emma had to give him that. Her arms linked around his waist, tilting her head up to meet his lips. She had just gotten lost in the sensation of his lips on hers, the warm slide of their tongues together, the gentle bumping of their noses when Ruby called out. "How's the turkey coming?"

Killian stifled a laugh, breaking the kiss but keeping Emma in his arms. "So much for that."

Emma's nose bumped against his again before she slowly let her arms fall back to her sides. "Hmm." She whispered.

"It's coming along." Killian called out, turning back to his phone and starting the video again.

Emma watched the chef slice into the turkey breast and pull it away from the bone. She paused the video and grabbed the knife from the counter slicing in the same area she thought the chef had. "I believe that looks right, love." Killian told her.

After the first slice, Killian took the knife from her and they worked together watching the video in sections and making the same cuts as the chef. It wasn't perfect, they left more of the breast meat on the bone than the chef did, but for the first attempt at a turkey carving, it wasn't terrible. Killian transferred both sides of the breast meat over to another plate for Emma to cut into slices. The video ended with the chef placing each drumstick on either end of the serving platter and fanning out the turkey breast slices over the rest of the plate.

"I think that looks damn good for a first attempt." Emma said grinning at Killian.

"As do I love. Although I think it only looks as good as it does because of your help." Killian told her.

"Maybe." Emma conceded. "Come on, let's get this out there." She handed Killian the gravy boat and took the platter of turkey.

"That looks amazing man. I could never carve a turkey like that." Victor said, eyes widening in appreciation as Emma and Killian placed the dishes on the table.

"I'm convinced it was all because of Emma's assistance." Killian replied, making her blush.

"Sit, sit." Ruby instructed to them. "I think we should all say something that we're thankful for."

Emma groaned silently. She hated having to do this as a child. Her aunt and uncle insisted on it and her cousins had always been able to say they were thankful for toys or their friends or places they had gotten to go. Emma had once made the mistake of saying she was thankful for the nice teacher she had and her uncle had slammed down his bottle of beer, glaring at her. _Is that it?_ He had nearly screamed at her. Confused, Emma shook her head. _Of course. You're thankful for a teacher you have but not for your aunt and I who took you in. We didn't have to you know. We should have just let you go into foster care you ungrateful little bitch._ Tears had sprung to her eyes, her stomach rolling in discomfort. _Get away from my table, you don't deserve to eat this._

Ingrid had tried to smooth things over, telling her husband to be quiet and clearly Emma was thankful for them but the damage had been done. Steeling herself Emma had stood up and turned to her uncle. "I'd like to be excused." She said as sweetly as possible and had fled to her room before the tears fell from her eyes.

A few hours later Ingrid had come to her room with a plate full of warmed dinner, but Emma had no interest in eating it. Ingrid tried to apologize and explain that Tony was just that way when he had too much to drink, but Emma knew her uncle had meant every word he uttered. More than once she had caught him and Ingrid arguing about her. Ingrid had rarely been maternal toward her but always ended the discussion with her husband that Emma was family and you never turn away family.

A warm hand sliding into hers made her jump. Emma blinked furiously, turning her head to the right to see Killian looking at her with concern. His thumb rubbed over the back of her hand. "Are you okay?" He mouthed to her.

Emma nodded. "I'm fine." She whispered. "Just thinking of something from the past."

As the dishes were passed around the table and generous helpings doled out, everyone mentioned something they were thankful for. Jeff was thankful for his daughter, Grace who beamed up at him as he said that aloud. Grace was thankful for her toys and her new bedding, which caused everyone to laugh. Victor said he was thankful for almost being done with law school and for Ruby agreeing to marry him which brought a chorus of "awws" from around the table. Ruby said she was thankful for Victor but more importantly for Emma and Killian coming to save her to pull the whole meal together.

Everyone laughed and Emma waited until the laughter died down before sharing that she was thankful for her friends and living so close to the beach. Her gaze swung to Killian, her eyes softening as she met his. She wasn't comfortable saying it in front of everyone but she was immensely grateful for Killian and how much he had changed her since they met earlier in the year.

Killian grinned at her, thumb still rubbing over the back of her hand as he spoke. "I'm thankful for the random decision I made to come to this town and how welcoming everyone has been since I have arrived. It reminds me of the village I grew up in back in Ireland where you knew you neighbors and everyone looked out for each other." He raised their entwined hands in the air. "And I'm thankful for this beautiful lass who has decided she enjoys spending time with me."

Emma felt a flush creep up over her cheeks. She met Killian's gaze trying to thank him for his words without saying anything.

"So we can eat now?" Grace asked, looking around the table at everyone.

Ruby laughed. 'Yes of course. Dig in!"

The only sounds that filled the air were the clinking of forks and knives as everyone dug into their meal. Everyone told Ruby had good all of the food was and she promptly deflected the praise saying it was all made possible by Killian and Emma.

When their plates were empty and had been loaded into the dishwasher, the men retreated back into the living room to watch the football game, leaving the women in the kitchen and dining room to transfer the food into smaller containers. "This is awfully stereotypically, isn't it?" Emma asked, laughing as she scooped the remaining mashed potatoes into a container.

-\\-

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Maggie said, stepping inside and reaching out to hug Ruby.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Ruby replied taking the small bag from Maggie and her coat. "What's this?"

"Ice cream." David replied, taking his wife's coat from Ruby and pulling off her own. "I'll take these wherever you're keeping them."

"On the bed. First door on the right." Ruby told him before turning back to Maggie. "What kind of ice cream?"

"Vanilla of course. If you haven't mixed together pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream into a milkshake, you haven't done this holiday justice." Maggie explained.

Emma groaned, her hand coming to rest on her full stomach. "That sounds incredible but I have no idea where I'm going to put it."

"Let's go for a walk." Grace suggested. "It's not that cold out."

The adults quickly agreed, everyone putting their coats back on so they could go take a walk around Ruby's neighborhood, working off all of the excessive calories they had consumed.

"Now who is having a pumpkin pie milkshake?" Maggie called from the kitchen once every had come back in from the walk.

A chorus of yeses carried through from the living room to the kitchen. Emma decided to share one with Killian, still stuffed from their earlier dinner. She let him have the shake first, declining to even taste it until he had eaten half. "Oh wow, that is delicious." Emma said, letting the velvety pumpkin and ice cream slide over her tongue, mixed in with crumbles of crust.

Jeff and Grace left not long after dessert, followed by Maggie and David. Emma stayed to help Ruby clean up the final round of dishes before she and Killian finally headed out as well.

-\\-

"I can't believe you woke me up this early." Emma groaned, blinking rapidly and sipping at her hot chocolate.

"How else are we supposed to get the best deals?" Ruby asked, linking her arm through Emma's and dragging her along.

"Online?" Emma ventured to ask.

"The deals aren't the same. I told you that. Now come on, the line is moving." Ruby prodded.

Three hours and two hot chocolates later, Emma had been dragged throughout all three outlets and Ruby had deemed their Black Friday shopping adventure complete. Ruby had bought a new suit for Victor as well as some casual clothing and a new briefcase he could use after law school. She had also purchased quite a few items for herself, including two new pairs of shoes. Emma had ended up with some new toys for Brinkley and a shirt for Killian that she thought would look amazing with his eyes. Ruby had convinced her into a new pair of boots and a better jacket for the colder weather. Emma had only relented because they were both more than half off.

"It's not even nine in the morning and I feel as though I've run a marathon. I require sustenance." Emma said plainly, carelessly dropping her bags into Ruby's trunk and dragging her feet along the pavement to the passenger door.

"It's one time a year." Ruby argued. "What do you want to eat?"

Emma thought for a moment. Despite overeating the day before, all of the additional walking they had done throughout the outlets that morning had left her absolutely ravenous. "Pancakes."

"The Pancake Palace is right down the street." Ruby pointed out.

"Sold." Emma dropped her head back against the headrest in partially feigned exhaustion.

-\\-

A large stack of pancakes, topped with melting butter and sweet syrup sliding down the sides was placed in front of Emma. A smaller plate of bacon sat off to the side next to her third cup of hot chocolate of the morning. She likely should have made one of the cups coffee to clear the cobwebs from her brain, but turning down another cup of the rich chocolate drink was impossible.

"Have you and Killian talked about Christmas?" Ruby asked, taking a bite of her omelette.

"No. What do you mean?" Emma cut into the fluffy stack of pancakes with a butter knife, swirling the pieces through the pool of syrup that had gathered at the bottom of the plate.

"Nothing. Just like if you're going to make something or order Chinese." Ruby replied.

"Oh. I hadn't even thought about it. I'm just happy I managed to get Christmas Eve off from both jobs. I don't think that has ever happened." Emma answered. "Honestly, I'm fine with ordering Chinese or something but I have a feeling Killian will want to cook. I guess I should probably start thinking about pulling out the meager decorations I have, huh?"

"Probably wouldn't hurt. The stores have been playing Christmas music for weeks now." Ruby answered her in between bites of her omelette. "Are you going to the tree lighting ceremony in town? It's next Saturday."

"Yeah I think Killian will like watching them light it. Doesn't the library usually do something for the lighting? He might even have to be there for work." Emma said, mentally reminding herself to ask Killian about it later.

"Oh yeah I forgot he's working at the library. I think I read that this year the library is in charge of putting together the family adoption list for gifts. Does he like it? Is it just for the winter?" Ruby wanted to know.

"We haven't talked about it much, but he really seems to like it. The librarian is the wife of someone important in town and she pulled some strings so Brinkley gets to come to work with him if he wants. Killian said something about Brinkley showing off all of his tricks to a group of young kids the other week and everyone absolutely loving it. He said he could most likely keep working there throughout the spring and summer but that they're less short staffed in season. I think he'd prefer to go back to the marina with Kris and Anna if they'd let him." Emma answered. 'What are you and Victor doing?"

Ruby frowned. "I have to go to see my mother for a least a little while on Christmas day. He said he's coming with me, so I hope he doesn't get stuck with something school related instead. But after I get the family stuff out of the way we're sitting down and trying to get through the rest of the list for the wedding. Oh, that reminds me, can you come with me to the food tasting? Victor said he trusts your judgement and I don't know when he and I will get a free day to go together."

"I guess. Where are we going?" Emma replied, not sure her friend should really be taking her along in place of her fiance.

"Taste. It's the catering division of the Hooked chain of restaurants." Ruby answered.

"As in the place that we went to for my birthday?" Emma asked.

"That's the one." Ruby snagged a piece of bacon from the plate in front of Emma and popped it in her mouth.

"Well at least you know the food will be incredible. Isn't that going to be crazy expensive?" She asked.

"It could be, but I think we've managed to finally get the guest list to a reasonable number so maybe not." Ruby answered. "It was every single family relation that each of us had and then we decided even if all of these people showed up and gave us more than a hundred bucks, we'd still be wasting a ton of money trying to find a place big enough to accommodate everyone, decorate it and feed them. So we've narrowed it down to about forty people."

'Am I going to know anyone other than you, Victor and Killian?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I'm inviting Jeff and Grace, David and Maggie, Betsy and Ashley and her husband." Ruby filled her in, listing off the relatives on each side that would also be attending.


	48. Chapter 48

I'm starting to think that by having "Updated every Tuesday" in the summary of this story, it's finding ways to jinx me into not posting on Tuesdays. I expected a week of vacation followed by a holiday weekend would result in tons of time to write, proofread and be ahead of schedule. lol, nope. I also thought I'd post this 12 hours ago, but then work happened. So I'm changing the summary to "updated weekly". If there is ever a week where you won't get a chapter, you'll know in advance. (This drives the planner in me absolutely crazy, but it is what it is and I'll deal with it.)

* * *

Chapter 48: Killian

Weak sunlight filtered through heavy gray clouds as Killian walked down the beach with Brinkley. Bitter winds swirled through the air causing him to jam his hands further into his pockets. It was as though Brinkley didn't even notice the chill in the air, running up and down the beach.

They were the only two souls brave enough to venture out into the beach that morning, all the other dog owners opting for the inland parks or the ease of their own backyards.

The ocean was rough, foamy whitecaps breaking against the shore noisily. Killian squinted his eyes, just able to make out a barge ship way out in the distance, rolling over the tumultuous waves. A few stray seagulls squawked overhead, circling out over the ocean before diving down and catching a meal.

In his pocket, Killian's phone simultaneously vibrated and rang. Pulling it out he saw that Beverly was calling. "Hello?"

"Hi Killian, it's Beverly. Is now a good time to talk?" She asked.

"Of course." He replied, wishing he had thought to bring gloves as the bitter winds nipped at his exposed fingers.

"I realized Bill and I told you the end of this year and with it being nearly December, that doesn't exactly give you much time. We're not in any rush to come back, especially in the winter. We've been talking about coming back in July." She explained.

"I quite understand wanting to spend the winter somewhere warm. I'm out on the beach with Brinkley today and it's not pleasant at all." Killian told her.

Beverly laughed. "You're brave to be out there today, that's for sure. We still watch the weather for up there and it's barely above freezing today. We practically hibernated the whole winter when we lived there year round. But since we're still up in the air about our return date and if we're coming back permanently at all, I wanted to give you an open ended lease. We can rent a place if we decide to come in July."

Killian was surprised. They had no reason to continue to accommodate him, he was merely watching over their condo. "Nonsense. You can't rent a place when you own! I can easily move to a hotel or find something else short term."

"I'll hear of no such thing!" Beverly demanded. "It's been wonderful knowing the condo has been taken care of while we are down here. You'll pay an arm and a leg to rent somewhere on short notice!"

"So will you." Killian countered.

"I'm old. You can't take your money with you when you die so you might as well spend it while you're you're still able. You're too young to go wasting money like that." Beverly replied.

Although he didn't have a close relationship with either Bill or Beverly, he didn't want to think like that. "I simply cannot allow you to stay elsewhere while I occupy your home."

"You are a stubborn one, aren't you?" Beverly asked. "At the very least we can try to put you in contact with other long term rentals nearby. How serious is it with Emma? Would you be more interested in buying?"

Killian paused. He hadn't really considered the idea of buying. It would be cheaper in the long run and he could see himself remaining in the small coastal town for years. The thought of how Emma would react fluttered through his mind for a few seconds before he realized it would be a very good way to show her that he was serious about her, about their relationship. "It's going very well with Emma. Buying hadn't crossed my mind, but now that you mention it, I think it could be a great opportunity for me."

"That's wonderful." Beverly sounded genuinely happy for him. "I will keep you updated on what we are doing, but don't hesitate to start looking at properties if you want to buy or even rent elsewhere. You won't leave us in the lurch if you leave before we make a decision; if anything you might convince two old people to get a move on."

Killian laughed. "That sounds good to me. I'll keep you updated as well on what I am doing."

"Sounds good." Beverly said. They chatted a bit longer about how they spent their Thanksgiving holiday and what they had planned for Christmas before finally hanging up.

Killian realized he hadn't worked out any plans with Emma for Christmas. He assumed they would spend the holiday together but didn't know if she had any traditions she liked up follow. He also realized he would need to find a present for her.

"Come on Brinkley." Killian called. "I'm turning into a Popsicle out here."

-/-

"Is the tree lighting a big deal?" Killian asked, opening the door of his truck for Emma.

"Yeah it's pretty popular. It's probably going to be as crowded as the Halloween festival." Emma replied, stepping up and sliding across the bench seating. She placed both travel mugs of hot chocolate she had brought into the cupholders.

The drive into town took longer than usual, carloads of families bundled up and coming out to see the annual tree lighting. Killian had to park quite a few blocks down on the side street, grumbling to himself again about needing to remember to pick up gloves.

A sandwich board sign caught his eye as they made their way toward the growing crowd. _Family Adoption and Toy Drive Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce_ it read. "Have you ever done that?" Killian asked, gesturing toward the sign.

Emma turned to see what he was looking at. "Once, last year. I picked up some toys and dropped them off. It wasn't much, or even anything all that cool, but it was something, you know."

He did. Christmas wasn't always a very happy time for him as a child. Of course it was when his mother was still alive, but after he and Liam had been shipped over to various distant relatives it became more of a hinderance. A reminder that the day was for family and love, presents and food and that whatever relative they found themselves with was severely lacking in all of those qualities. When Liam was older and able to get a job after school, he made Christmas better. Making sure to pick up a gift or two for Killian, even if it was something small.

Killian assumed it was the same for Emma. He knew her aunt and uncle had provided her with the basics to get by but after hearing how they treated her on other holidays and her birthday he felt safe to assume there was no stack of presents for Emma under the tree each year.

His fingers found the soft fleece of her gloves, squeezing her hand. "I think we should adopt a family together."

Emma startled, turning to meet his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Forgive me if I'm wrong love, but Christmas wasn't likely the happiest time for you as a child and I also experienced the same fate. I feel as though it is the absolute least I can do it make sure another child or set of siblings doesn't feel that way. There's a feeling of hope and magic in the air around Christmas. No child should feel otherwise." He told her honestly.

Her eyes softened as she spoke, her teeth biting down on her lower lip, pulling it inward. Gloved fingers squeezed against his. "Yeah. You're right. We should do it."

He saw the moisture in the corners of her eyes, the way she blinked furiously. "I didn't mean to upset you. We don't have to." He said stepping closer to her.

Emma shook her head. "I'm not upset."

He felt his eyebrows arch in disbelief. "Emma."

She sniffed, her other hand finding his. She cleared her throat and met his gaze. "Really. I'm not upset. It just means a lot that you get it and you don't want it to be like that for someone else. I'm not...I'm not explaining myself very well."

Killian ducked his head, tugging her closer to him and pressing his lips quickly to hers. "We're on the same page Emma."

She nodded. "Let's go sign up then."

They filled out the form, listing their names and phone numbers and checking off whether they wanted to provide for a whole family or just the children. Emma had hesitated at the addition cost but Killian waved her off insisting he'd cover the difference.

"Come on love, let's brave the cold and watch the lighting." Killian said finding her hand again.

"Shit. I left the hot chocolate in your truck." Emma said frowning and turning back in the direction of where he had parked.

Killian tilted his head toward the shops. "Betsy's is closer."

"Sold." Emma replied, walking quickly towards the crepe shop to get out of the blustery winds.

"Killian! Emma! So good to see both of you. You're here for the lighting I assume?" Betsy greeted them with warm smiles as they rushed into the restaurant, shutting the door to keep the unpleasant elements outside.

Killian nodded. "We are. And we were hoping you could thaw us out with some hot beverages of yours."

"Well of course! Large coffee and a hot chocolate?" Betsy confirmed and Killian nodded. He'd save his sweet tooth for the hot chocolate currently waiting in a travel mug in his truck.

Betsy quickly made their drinks, pouring them into to-go cups and securing the lids on top. "Now go," she said shooing them out the door. "You don't want to miss it."

Killian and Emma made their way through the crowd to the largest group of people, standing in a semi-circle around a Douglas Fir that had to be at least 12 foot tall. The tree was decorated in jewel toned bulbs and ornaments with crimson red and turquoise bulbs mixed within. Pearlized white starfish were scattered amongst the branches, incorporating a beachy element to the tree. A huge star sat atop the tree. A tree skirt made of burlap covered the base. Thick silver and white ribbons wrapped through the branches, contrasting the bulbs against the deep green of the full branches.

The tree was surrounded by a movable fence decorated with red ribbons, partially concealing the extension cord full with the many strings of lights that must be on the tree.

Killian wrapped both hands around his coffee cup, sipping at it, allowing the hot liquid to warm him from the inside as well as take the chill off his fingers. Eventually the crowd parted as the mayor made his way to stand next to the tree. He introduced himself and thanked everyone for coming out on such a chilly day to watch the annual lighting of the Christmas tree. He then spoke about the holiday season, talking about how he hoped it could be a time of celebration and small town events rather than an overly commercialized holiday and offered the suggestion to shop locally. He brought up the option to adopt a family saying that while the majority of the town's residents were fortunate enough to afford the holiday, they did have more than a handful of residents who needed an extra helping hand to get through the season. He reminded the crowd where they could sign up and when the donations and gifts needed to be delivered to the Chamber of Commerce.

"Now that I've babbled on quite a bit in this freezing weather, my wife Lizzie is giving me that look that means I need to just get on with it." The mayor said with a laugh. "Don't worry Lizzie, I promise I won't give our town frostbite while I ramble on and on. Thank you again for coming out and now if you'll allow me to do the honor, let's see what this beautiful Douglas Fir looks like with the twinkle of lights, yeah?" He bent down and plugged in the last strand.

Against the cloudy gray sky twinkling white lights lit up the tree, prisms of bold colors bouncing off the bulbs, contrasting against the muted colors in the background. The residents gasped in union before a loud round of applause and cheering burst forth.

"Now that's a real beauty." The mayor said, turning to admire the tree. "Thank you to the Chamber of Commerce for providing the decorations and thank you to the 8th graders at the middle school who came out early this morning to get the tree decorated. And there's one more announcement from me, it seems as though our own Betsy of Sunny Day Crepes is holding a sugar cookie baking and decorating class next Saturday if anyone is interested. The baking class will start at ten in the morning and if you'd just like to come decorate, please show up at noon. There is a $5 participant fee."

"It's gorgeous isn't it?" Emma asked him, eyes widened with joy at the tree in front of them.

"It really is. Who knew that eighth graders possessed such quality decoration skills." Killian replied. "Perhaps I should find some of them to come decorate my tree."

"You have a tree?" Emma asked.

"Well, no. Not yet." Killian replied. "I thought about getting a fake one, one that sits on a tabletop and can be nicely put away after the season, but I can't bring myself to purchase one. One constant throughout my childhood, even after we lived with relatives was that we always had a real tree. Even if it was Liam and I going to cut one down by ourselves. The scent of sap and greenery just adds to the magic of the holiday season. Have you ever had a real tree?"

Emma nodded. "Not every year. As my aunt got older she complained about how messy they are, all of the needles falling off and the constant watering, but I remember a few years when I was young there was a real tree."

"Is there somewhere nearby to cut them down?" Killian asked, curious to know if he could relive a childhood memory.

"I don't think so. The local fire department gets them from somewhere and sells them precut. But Ruby would know better than me if there are any tree farms." Emma answered him.

"If there is, would you want to go cut one down?" Killian asked.

"Sure. I've never done it before." Emma replied.

"Seeing as we're talking about the holiday, I realized I hadn't asked you, what are your plans for Christmas?" Killian asked.

"I don't know. I usually just pick up Chinese food and watch a movie." Emma replied, fidgeting. Killian could tell the holiday had its association with less than pleasant memories.

"Perhaps you'd be interested in spending the holiday with me? Exchanging some gifts? Perhaps eating something a little more festive than Chinese food?" Killian asked coyly.

Emma hummed. "I guess I could change up my plans and spend it with you." She teased.

Killian closed the short distance between them, pressing his lips to her forehead. "How generous of you. I know it probably wasn't your favorite holiday and nor was it mine, but I'd like to spend this one with you in hopes of replacing some unpleasant memories with happier ones."

Emma tilted her head back to meet his eyes, a wrinkle of confusion marring her forehead. "How…" She started.

Killian smiled at her softly, "A portion of my childhood was not all that different from your own, love." He answered.

-/-

"Are you sure you know what you're doing with that thing?" Emma asked, looking pointedly at the saw he carried in his right hand. His left held a thin rope attached to a sled that bumped and twisted over the uneven ground as they made their way up the hill.

Killian laughed, tossing a wink her way. "Have I neglected you to the point where you'd forgotten how talented my hands are?" He teased.

Emma rolls her eyes. "I'm talking about the saw, Casanova."

He winked again. "So you don't deny the talent of my hands?" Killian couldn't stop from grinning as a pink flush crept over Emma's cheeks.

"That's has nothing to do with this conversation!" She exclaimed, flustered. "I'd just prefer to know that before I get too far away from civilization on this damn farm that you've operated a saw before and aren't going to cut your hand off or something."

Killian relented teasing Emma. "Yes love, I am familiar with a hand saw and have used one before. I think it is safe to say I'll be leaving here with all of my limbs intact."

"Good. Because my medical expertise ends at ointment and bandages." Emma retorted.

"I'll keep that in mind should I schedule an injury to my being in your presence." He teased back, tugging sharply on the sled that had become stuck in a small ditch. "Ah, we've made it to the Fraser Fir section. Would you prefer one like this or a Douglas Fir like the one in town?"

"It's going in your house isn't it?" Emma asked. "You can choose which type of tree you want."

"I thought perhaps we could purchase two trees, one for each of us and decorate them together. We hadn't decided where to spend the holiday and I don't want you to feel as though it should be at my place simply because I have a tree." Killian told her.

"Oh." Emma replied, slightly taken aback. "I don't mind being at your place."

"That's good to know. Perhaps there is some appeal to decorating two trees together?" Killian asked.

Emma paused and Killian could tell she was considering it. The idea of two trees, one at each of their homes, had come to him earlier that morning. Thinking back on some of the unhappy Christmases he had, he thought it could be cathartic to have a tree and decorate it however he wanted and hoped Emma would want to do the same, although he wasn't sure how to broach the subject with her. He didn't want to come right out and assume she had taken very little part in tree decorating as a child or that she may have felt left out or not part of her aunt and uncle's family during the process. There were a few years where he and Liam stood off to the side, watching a cousin place ornament after ornament on the tree and being told there was no room for the homemade ones they had created.

"You're really into the Christmas spirit, aren't you?" Emma asked.

"I'm trying to be. I feel as though this Christmas will be very different from all of the others and I want to embrace the magic of the season." Killian answered truthfully, hoping Emma understood.

She offered him a soft smile. "It will be different...and yeah I think two trees is a great idea. I like the look of these."

"Splendid. Now let's find you a tree." Killian replied, unable to keep a smile off his face.

They walked up and down the rows of the tree farm searching for the perfect tree. Only twenty minutes later did they come across it, a shorter tree with full branches, no bare spots at all and a strong scent emanating from its bark.

"Are you sure you don't want a taller tree?" Killian asked.

"Nope, I think this one is perfect. And I'll even be able to reach to put a topper on it without a chair." Emma replied.

Killian made quick work of cutting down the tree and placing it on the sled. They climbed up the next hill to the Douglas Fir section and it only took minutes before Killian spotted the perfect tree. It was over seven foot tall and very lush, dense branches spilling out from all sides. He could immediately picture it in the corner of the condo, decorated in red and white ornaments, silver garland and colored lights with a deep red tree skirt underneath.

Both trees on the sled made it harder to get down the hills of the farm without losing one, but they took their time and finally made it to stand in line for the trees to be shaken and bundled. He left Emma with the trees as he popped inside to pay and pick up two cups of the free hot chocolate the tree farm was offering.

Finally with both of the trees resting in the bed of his truck, he pulled out of the dirt parking lot and headed home.

"Um, Killian?" Emma questioned.

"Yeah?" He asked, slightly concerned with the tone of her voice.

"Uh, I don't know about you, but I don't have a tree stand or skirt big enough for this tree. Or enough ornaments." She replied.

Killian laughed realizing he had nothing for the tree. He had walked right past a display of tree stands and other accessories when he slipped inside the converted shed to pay but thought nothing of the necessities for a live tree. "I suppose we'll need to do a little shopping then."

* * *

And thanks again for all of the reviews. You're all awesome!


	49. Chapter 49

The heat index is over 100 degrees and I'm writing about Christmas. It's rather weird. I can't believe I forgot to tell you all this a few weeks ago, but when I was on vacation we were taking the ferry from Lewes, DE over to Cape May, NJ and there was a huge fluffy golden retriever on the ferry with us. Of course my first thought was "Brinkley" and would you believe the shock I had when the owner actually called him that!? It appears Killian is not the only one to name his dog after _You've Got Mail._ ;)

* * *

Chapter 49: Emma

The trip to the local superstore had been anything but pleasant and quick. It was as though the entire state of Delaware had crammed themselves into the store; carts blocking every aisle, children screaming, frazzled looking parents, extremely long checkout lines and cashiers who regarding everyone with distaste, all while cheery Christmas music blasted from the overhead speakers, lights twinkled and oversized wreaths hung from the rafters.

The holiday decor section looked as though a bomb of tinsel and glitter had exploded, dusting the floor and everything within the aisles. They had decided to divide and conquer, Killian finding tree stands while she searched for tree skirts to cover the stands. The pickings were slim, seeing as though an Angry Birds or Simpsons tree skirt were not her style. A shelf of cheaply made ones followed, neon colored skirts in a satin-like material, large gemstones adorning the hem. Her nose had wrinkled in disgust and that was how Killian had found her, quipping that he had no idea she wanted a Barbie dream house tree.

She had rolled her eyes and squeezed past other shoppers to the end of the tree skirt section, grabbing a simple white skirt with three blue snowflakes embroidered on the hem. Killian had pointed to an emerald green skirt with three rows of contrasting silver stitching making up the hem for his tree.

Emma had chose all white lights and Killian had chosen colored ones. They had opted to buy the large packs of different shaped bulbs instead of picking out individual ones. A simple white, silver and gold set had stood out to her, conjuring up images in her mind of beautifully decorated trees she had seen on television as a child. Killian had opted to mimic the town tree choosing a set of jewel toned ornaments.

He had convinced her to add just a hint of color to her tree, holding up a small package of red bulbs painted with boughs of holly, silver and white swirls mixed between.

As they had made their way to the end of the holiday decor section, Emna had paused in front of a small section of personalized ornaments. She had nearly spoken up, suggesting that they could eat get one for their tree, but quickly realized choosing an ornament for Killian could be a good Christmas gift.

The branches of the trees needed time to fall after having been bundled upward so tightly. With his tree secured in the stand and watered, bags of ornaments next to it patiently waiting to be added, Killian had drove to Emma's cottage, setting up her tree the same.

-/-

The first snow of the winter came on a Saturday. Emma was glad she had the day off from both jobs. While the town was great as a summer tourist destination, it was as though they were forgotten about for the beginning of every winter. At the first sign of snow the northern counties had plows out pretreating the roads but they rarely seemed to make it far enough south to help out the town before the precipitation arrived. It took even longer to get a snow plow during the first winter weather event. Emma had thought Ruby was joking when she told her that but quickly found it to be true. Hours, sometimes a full day if it were particularly bad, would go by and then as though a lightbulb would go off in someone's head that the town existed with full time residents, the plows would show up and clear the roads. They always arrived within reasonable times for any other winter event, just never for the first snow. Annoying and odd as it was, Emma had come to accept it was simply a quirk of small town beach life.

Luckily snow wasn't too frequent of a winter event, the storms tending to sweep over Maryland and even the more northern part of the state, but typically petering out and turning to rain as it crossed over the bay.

They were expected to get one to three inches of snow, just enough to make things messy on non-treated roads with temperatures hovering a bit above freezing. Emma had a decently stocked fridge and pantry and intended to let the storm do its thing while she ignored it from the warmth of her living room. Killian, it seemed, had other ideas.

 _Flakes are beginning to fall!_ He texted, followed by a grinning emoji.

Emma replied with a thumbs down. Merely seconds after the text showed as delivered her phone rang.

"Swan!" Killian's accented voice came through the line, filled with surprise. "Tell me that was a mistaken emoji. Surely you do not hate snow?"

"Hello to you too." She teased at his lack of a proper greeting. "I don't….hate snow. I strongly dislike it."

Killian huffed. "Why?"

"It's cold. It's hard to drive in. People do dumb stuff." Emma replied. As a child, she had enjoyed snow, bundling up to go play outdoors, building snowmen and sliding down hills. But as an adult, the enjoyment of fluffy white flakes had waned, being replaced with annoyance at shoveling, scraping the ice from her windshield, the way she knew when her knuckles would turn white under her gloves, wrapped around the steering wheel as she precociously made her way through the streets in her old Bug.

She recognized that most of her dislike of snow came from driving in it but seeing that she had no interest in giving up the Bug and buying something more practical for winter (or every day life if she was being honest with herself) it was easier, albeit less logical, to simply dislike the weather.

"Are you telling me that I must take Brinkley to the beach on my own then? I thought, perhaps if the branches on your tree had fallen, we could decorate it. Quite a holiday experience, tree decorating during snowfall." Killian pouted.

Emma rolled her eyes. She could picture the way his eyes widened, eyebrows raising in innocence as his bottom lip jutted forward. "Uhhnnn." She mumbled.

"I'll take that as a yes! It will be delightful Swan, I promise you. I'll be over shortly. I suggest you dress warmly." Killian said and Emma could hear the grin in his voice, the one that stretched from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling with delight.

Emma shuffled slowly into her bedroom, pulling open the door to her closet. She pulled a thermal shirt off the hanger, kicking the door closed behind her. From her dresser she grabbed a tank top and a pair of fleece black leggings. She added a pair of fluffy socks with ducks on them and jammed her feet into her boots.

Killian was tried but failed to hide his snicker when she pulled open her front door at his knock. "What?" She asked.

He eyed her earmuffs, beanie and scarf with amusement. "It is above freezing, love."

"I'm aware." Emma replied, followed him out the door.

-\\-

She had to admit the drive to the beach was much easier in Killian's truck. The snow was mainly sticking to the sidewalks and grass, the roads only had a nearly imperceptible dusting. Killian pulled into a parking space across from the bank, opening her door for her.

It wasn't nearly as cold as she had expected, the usual breeze coming in off the ocean was nowhere to be found. Brinkley bounded down the sidewalk ahead of them, heading directly for the sand. Killian tugged her closer to him, his arm draping over her shoulder as they followed Brinkley. It was kind of nice, she conceded to herself. The boardwalk was nearly deserted, tiny snowflakes swirling down from the sky, landing on the benches and boards, clinging to the light posts. The stores that had remained opened had changed their window displays to be holiday themed in nature, mini trees covered in ornaments and lights, child-sized sleighs filled with presents, Santa Claus figurines, mannequins in gloves, scarfs and hats. Twinkle lights framed the windows and the awnings of each store, standing out boldly against the gray sky. The salty sea air mixed with a scent of peppermint, adding to the holiday feel.

Emma's eyes widened as they made their way to see over the grassy dunes. A light coating of snow stuck to the sea grass, hints of green peeking between white snowflakes. The ocean was calm, gentle waves rolling in against the shore with barely a sound. The sky was muted in color with heavy gray clouds hovering low to the horizon, looking as though it blended seamlessly into the ocean. Emma couldn't remember the last time she saw the ocean this calm. Killian's arm dropped from over her shoulder and slid around her waist pulling her against him. She inhaled deeply, the crisp winter air invigorating her senses.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Killian asked softly.

Emma nodded. "You may have a point, it's really pretty in the snow."

Below, Brinkley ran by them on the beach at full speed, letting out a bark as he neared. Emma laughed. "Where does he get all of that energy?"

"I assume the twelve hours of a sleep a day he gets has something to do with it." Killian quipped.

"I thought only cats slept that much." Emma commented.

Killian shrugged. "I mentioned it to the vet once who said it wasn't concerning."

They stood there a bit longer in silence, watching as the snowflakes fell over the ocean, disappearing into the waves. A dusting had covered both of their coats and boots. Emma ducked her head and exhaled sharply, watching the snowflakes scatter off the arm of her coat.

Emma leaned forward, resting her hands on the wooden fence. Kilian shifted, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder, scruff brushing against her cheek. In moments like that she barely noticed the cold, barely registered that they were standing on the boardwalk as snowflakes rained down upon them. She jumped when he tilted his head further towards her, the cold of his nose pressing against her cheek. He apologized, ducking his head further until his face was buried in the layers of her scarf. His bare hands rested under her gloved ones on the fence.

"Aren't your hands cold?" She asked.

She felt him shrug. "A bit. I'll remember to pick up a pair of gloves eventually. Can't find the pair I had."

In the quiet of the late afternoon, alone on the boardwalk except for the snowflakes, he told her stories of playing in the snow with Liam as a child, wanting to be just like his older brother; sliding down the biggest hills, skating over the frozen pond, winning snowball fights. He told her how Liam was usually very good about Killian tagging along all of the time, rarely complaining to have his little brother underfoot. Emma smiled as he told her about the time Liam had dared him to throw a snowball at one of the older boys in the field. It had incited a full-blown snowball fight, he and Liam and a few other children against the older boys. They had won and only because the girlfriends of the older boys came by and wanted them to go sleigh-riding. He told her how he remembered collapsing into the snow, panting for breath, clumps of snow still stuck to his gloves in half-formed snowballs and how they had laughed so hard they had nearly wet themselves.

"He would have loved you." Killian said quietly.

Emma felt the smile slip off her face. Listening to his stories, the happy picture he had painted of that time in his childhood she had nearly forgotten they were talking about the brother he no longer had. "I'm sorry, Killian." She nearly whispered.

His nose bumped against hers, the warmth of his breath against her cheek. "Me too, love."

She turned in his arms, wrapping her own around his waist, her head tucked under his chin. She squeezed lightly, not even sure he could feel it through the material of his coat, but she assumed he must have when his arms tightened around hers. She tilted her head upward, pressing her lips against his jaw until he ducked his head, lips finding hers.

It was a chaste kiss, just the gentle press of chilled lips against each other as their noses rubbed together. He moved back a fraction of an inch, lips hovering over hers. "I miss him less when I'm with you."

Her eyes popped open at his admission, shocked. Blue eyes stared back at her, filled with a sincerity that made her cheeks flush and her skin prickle. It was too much. Her lips parted to say as much, but he stopped with her a slight shake of his head, a finger pressed to her lips. "I just wanted you to know." Killian said seriously. "You're cold. Perhaps it's time to head back and get you warmed up with a hot chocolate?"

Her gloved fingertips trailed the length of his jaw before she nodded slowly, a smile spreading across her face. "Hot chocolate sounds great. Whose tree are we decorating?"

"I thought we could do yours this evening, love." Killian said, stepping back and taking her hand in his.

-\\-

Emma wrapped her hands around the white porcelain mug letting the heat warm up her hands. Ducking her head, she inhaled deeply, the rich chocolatey scent invading her senses. Feeling his eyes on her, she turned toward Killian. "What?"

He shook his head in amusement. "Nothing. You look cute when you do that. What do you think; some Christmas music playing while we decorate?"

Emma nodded. She had always loved Christmas music, the classics and the more modern remakes.

Killian selected a Christmas music station on his phone and turned up the volume, strains of _White Christmas_ crooning through the phone's speakers.

Together they decorated the tree, starting with the white lights Emma had chosen, tucking them in between the branches of the tree. It took two sets to cover the tree and in a moment of perfectionism Emma didn't know she possessed, she went back through each loop around the tree adjusting the strands to form perfect rows of shimmering white lights. They opened the large box of ornaments, Killian opted to add a hook to each one before handing it to her for the perfect placement. She stepped back a few times, assessing the tree and moving ornaments around so no two of the same color were next to each other or two of the same styled bulb.

"Time for your fancy ornaments." He told her, opening the box and carefully extracting them.

She placed the first one at the top of the tree, a particular branch she had left empty, needing an ornament that stood out to go on it. The others she mixed in against the other bulbs, letting the bright red contrast against the white, silver and gold of the others.

Killian helped her maneuver the tree closer toward the wall again, then she pulled the tree skirt off its small hanger and arranged it against the base of the tree, covering the stand and allowing it to lay in pleats. "Stand back and take a look." He suggested.

Emma did just that, lips curling up into a smile at the beautifully decorated tree. "It's like something out of a magazine." She said.

"I completely agree. Who needs those middle schoolers to decorate when I have you?" Killian teased.

"I decorated mine, you should decorate yours." Emma told him.

"Perhaps." He replied absently. The first strains of _I'll Be Home For Christmas_ played through his phone. Killian reached his hand out towards her. "Dance with me?"

Emma hesitated at first, an amused smile playing on her lips. It was so cliched, girl dances around her living room with boyfriend to Christmas music; something right out of a Hallmark movie or a romance novel, and so unlike something she would do, but the hopeful smile on his face had her crossing the room in a few short strides, taking his outstretched hand in hers.

He brought their entwined hands up to his shoulders, slowly extracting his as she reached around his neck and clasped her hands together. Killian slid his arms around her waist, pulling her nearly flush against him as he slowly swayed them back and forth. His lips pressed against her temple, murmuring the lyrics into her skin.

 _I'll be home for Christmas_

 _You can count on me_

 _Please have snow and mistletoe_

 _And presents on the tree_

Emma let herself become lost in the gentle sway of their bodies, closing her eyes and letting the rest of her senses take over; the smell of his cologne, the warmth of his hands at her back, the melodic sound of his voice as he sang along. In the back of her mind, the voice of anxiety and annoyance popped up pointing out how romantic it was and reminding her that in the movies and books this scene was usually followed by one with the man on his knee, gigantic diamond ring sparkling from a black box. Emma mentally rolled her eyes. That was not going to happen. They didn't even love each other.

 _Sure about that?_ The voice questioned. _Yes!_ Emma internally yelled. The voice, should it have possessed a face, merely cocked an unbelieving eyebrow at her.

Desperately needing to quiet her mind, Emma went up on tiptoe, tilting her head back until she could press her lips against his. She tugged his bottom lip between hers, one hand moving to cradle the back of his neck, fingers running through his hair. His fingers tensed at her back for a moment before pulling her flush against him, tilting his head and returning her movement with a nip at her bottom lip. She exhaled softly, previously thoughts being replaced with the desire to kiss him.

"Love?" He asked.

"Just kiss me." She murmured against his lips.

"As the lady wishes." He answered, capturing her lips once again.


	50. Chapter 50

I'm sorry this is so late! I had a week from hell (I blame it on the full moon) followed by a pool party at my mom's that went on longer than intended and then I got sucked down the rabbit hole of Comic-Con interviews, gifs and pictures.

Confession: I got a little starry-eyed/swoony at the one where Jen pets Colin's scruff and kisses the top of his head because of the levels of adorable it was.

* * *

Chapter 50: Killian

"Are you ready for the book sale, Killian?" Ben asked.

Killian grinned at his fellow co-worker. "As ready as I'll ever be." He replied, eyes gazing over the book displays they had worked hard to create.

Throughout the year the library accepted book and other media donations from the community and whatever they already had too many copies of was set aside for the annual holiday book sale. The sale ran for a week, with the first three days of the sale only open to the local school children then the remaining days available to anyone who wished to purchase the books. The local schools scheduled trips to the libraries for all of the grades, ensuring the children would have the opportunity to purchase gifts for their parents or siblings. Other shop owners had joined in the sale as well, providing small toys, stuffed animals, knick knacks, costume jewelry and some clothing and accessories to the library to be sold.

The entire left side of the building had been dedicated to the sale, tables and chairs pushed along the walls to make way for racks and displays of books. Killian had spent all of his shifts at the library last week with Ben sorting through the books and then arranging them onto the racks and displays. Five displays were dedicated to children's books, decorated with bunting and paper cut outs, small stuffed animals mixed with the piles and stacks of books. Beside that stood collections of Young adult novels, followed by cookbooks, then romance novels, historical pieces and so on. A small display at the end of the racks was dedicated to books about local history, many bring collections of ghost stories from the area. Killian had fake spiderwebs over the top of the rack and stuck plastic, black spiders within.

"Too bad Brinkley isn't joining us." Ben commented.

Lizzie had suggested that Killian keep Brinkley home the week of sale, concerned with the increase in traffic they may have that he would be bored without the usual interaction he would get from the staff and visitors. Killian had to stop himself from laughing. Brinkley rarely allowed himself to become bored, instead interjecting himself in places or conversations where he shouldn't and demanding attention. Killian didn't tell Lizzie that, knowing she thought so highly of his dog that she'd never believe him, but instead agreed Brinkley would be more than okay to spend his days at home without Killian.

"He would get underfoot if I had him here. I assume he's sleeping peacefully on my bed at the moment." Killian replied.

Their conversation had halted after that, the first three school bus loads of children arriving to do their holiday shopping. The children ran in eagerly, bee lining for the sale area.

A little blonde in pigtails tapped on Killian's arm. "Scuse me, mister. Can you help me find a book?" She asked.

"Of course," Killian replied, bending down to her level and holding out his hand. "I'm Killian, what's your name?"

Her nose wrinkled. "Joanna. Killian's a weird name."

He laughed at her honesty. "It is." He agreed. "I believe I was named after a centuries old relation. Perhaps the name was more popular then."

She nodded. "You talk kind of funny."

Killian laughed again. "I suppose I do. It's an accent. I'm from Ireland."

Joanna rolled her eyes at him. "I know what uh accent is. I mean your words."

Killian simply nodded, amused. "What book can I help you find?" He couldn't help but think the little girl was likely very similar to Emma as a child.

"A cookbook with easy dinners. Momma works at night now and my daddy doesn't cook good. I want to help him. But they has to taste good." Joanna replied.

"Let's go have a look at the cookbooks and see what we can find. They're right over there." He pointed to the display.

Joanna skipped over and immediately started flipping through a book. Killian browsed the rack looking to see if they had received any beginner cookbooks in the donations.

"Eww!" Joanna exclaimed. "This book has pictures of snails. You don't eat snails!"

Killian noticed she had grabbed a French cookbook, the page held open to escargot. "Some people do, but I agree, it's gross."

He pulled a few books off the shelf and went through them with Joanna, allowing her to look at the pictures of the recipes to determine which book would be best for her father. She eventually selected a book with a variety of easy dinner recipes, everything from sandwiches and burgers to salads and quick casseroles.

"Thanks Mr. Killian. This book looks good." Joanna said, bouncing off with a wave as she went to stand in line to check out.

Killian helped a few more children with their purchases. The last child that came over to him was a little boy in a plaid shirt and jeans who had a list of gifts to buy for his entire family. Killian helped him select a baseball cap for his father, a toy truck for his younger brother, a young adult book for his older sister and a bracelet for his mother. Killian was amused at how easily the children told him all about their families, from fathers who couldn't cook, mothers who hide secret stashes of candy bars for when they thought their children were sleeping, older sisters who were currently grounded for wearing makeup to school and various stories about which sibling was in trouble for something or other at home or school.

-\\-

He was lying on the couch, fingers running aimlessly through Brinkley's fur when his phone chimed. Groaning, Killian got up and crossed the room to his kitchen where the phone was charging. With a swipe of his finger he realized the email he was reading was the Christmas List of the family he and Emma had adopted. The names of the family weren't included but it told him that there were two children, a boy and a girl and their ages. The girl was eleven and the boy was seven. The girl had asked for a journal with a lock, colored gel pens, a gift card for music and nail polish. The boy had asked for a scooter and a movie. The parents asked for gift cards to the local grocery store and a children's clothing store and a board game. He frowned realizing they had asked for nothing individually and only wanted gifts for their children or to put food on the table.

He replied to the email, stating that he hoped to buy actual gifts for the parents and wanted to know if there was any way to contact them for more information. He received a reply a few minutes later from the organizer of the event that she would try to contact the family for further details.

-\\-

"It's awfully crowded." Killian commented as Emma made her way down another aisle of parked cars looking for an empty space.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw as she rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "We're at a mall, three weeks before Christmas. Haven't you been shopping in December before?"

Killian nodded. "I have, although I'm not sure I can even recall the last time I went to a mall. Perhaps when Liam and I first came to the states."

Emma shot him an amused glance. "Well, you're in for a real treat. It's going to be mobbed in there. Lines in every store and at every food place, but the line for parents to take their kids to see Santa, well, I'm surprised that's not out the door already." Finally finding an empty space, she swung her Bug between two large SUV's and put it into park.

Killian opened the car door, stepping out into the brisk winter air. "Well, Swan, if we're about to embark on a true adventure of shopping during the busiest time of the year, I say we fully embrace it. How does a hot chocolate sound? Perhaps we'll even get a picture taken with Santa."

Emma snorted, looking at him incredulously. "Are you feeling okay?"

Killian took in a deep breath of the cold air and grinned at Emma. "Never better. We've started off the season by purchasing live Christmas trees, what's the harm in a photo with Santa? Besides, do you have anywhere to be today?"

He knew she didn't. They purposely planned this shopping trip on a day where they both had off so there was no need to rush. He also knew it was silly, two grown adults waiting in what was likely an incredibly long line just to take a picture with a man dressed up like jolly old Saint Nick, but the thought brought a smile to his lips. Perhaps unintentionally, but he hoped that he and Emma could do everything this holiday season that previously had a negative memory associated with it. For the first time in years he felt light and happy, easily swept up by the magical feeling that came about during the holiday season and he wanted Emma to share it with him.

"We'll see how long the line is." Emma relented. "But I will take you up on your offer of hot chocolate."

"Of course, love." He said, pulling open the door to the entrance of the mall.

Killian's eyes widened in surprise as he followed Emma to the food court. The mall had been decked out entirely in its holiday glory. Christmas music blared from the overhead speakers, clashing against the music that each store chose to play. Holly and garland, huge wreaths and bows hung down from the ceiling. Some stores had decorated their window fronts with fake snow or opted to display everything in red and green, sale signs flocking all of the doors. The scents of evergreen and sugar clung in the air.

The mall was crowded, perfect for people watching if they didn't have their own shopping to do. Killian eyes flitted over the people. Mothers hastily pulling their children along, men with wide eyes darting back and forth taking in the names of the stores, groups of bored teenagers wandering aimlessly around.

Emma stopped in front of a gourmet coffee and pastry shop, the sweet scent of the confections making Killian's mouth water. The glass display in front of the counter held tray after tray of decorated Christmas cookies, a spinning display on the counter offered cinnamon sugar coated almonds and various other treats glistened under their glass displays.

"Medium peppermint hot chocolate and a…" Emma said stepping up to the counter and trailing off to see what Killian wanted to order.

"Large coffee, black and two of those decorated sugar cookies, please." Killian finished, his hand pressing gently on Emma's hip for her to step to the side. Pulling out his wallet and handing the money over to the cashier, he told her to let Emma choose the cookies.

She chose a snowman and a candy cane, both decorated with royal icing in exquisite detail. "They're almost too pretty to eat." Emma said.

"But they smell too good not to." Killian replied with a grin as he bit the head off the snowman cookie.

They made their way through the crowds, sipping on their drinks, until they arrived in front of a toy store. Killian handed over his phone when Emma asked to see what the family had asked for. She wrinkled her nose at the list. "The parents don't want anything for themselves?"

"I saw that as well. I emailed the coordinator to see if she could get more information from them but I haven't heard back from her yet." Killian replied.

Emma nodded. "Well, let's at least see what we can cross off the list."

They squeezed into the overcrowded toy store, turning sideways and holding their drinks above their heads in order to make their way down the aisles. At the back of the store they found a selection of scooters on sale and chose a black one with neon green piping for the boy. Passing a display of board games on their way to the registers, they stopped and tried to select one for the family. Emma was convinced they should get the newest version of Clue and Killian was fascinated by Blokus, which was essentially Tetris without a device. A sales associate came by asking if they needed help and Killian explained their predicament. In the true fashion of a good sales associate, the teenager pointed out the games were buy one get one half off, which resulted in Killian stacking both boxes in Emma's arms and heading toward the register.

A few stores down from the toy store was a beauty store. "I should be able to find nail polish for her here. Although I have no idea what colors are cool to young girls." Emma said.

It turned out she didn't need to ask, a group of pre-teen girls were standing in front of the nail polish displays when they found it, chattering about how cool a multi-colored set was. Emma chose that and on a whim picked up a sleeve of tiny stickers and stencils used to decorate nails.

In the next store they picked up the gift card for music the girl had asked for, the movie the boy wanted and a few movies to add to each of their own collections. Killian inhaled deeply as they entered the stationery store. Like the library it held that unique scent of paper, leather and bindings.

"Don't you just love the way it smells in here?" Emma asked, a few steps ahead of him.

Killian couldn't help but grin at how she had read his mind. "I was thinking the same thing, love. One of my favorite perks about working at the library."

Emma found a black, leather journal with a lock and two tiny keys. Embossed on the front was the word 'Journal' in gold followed by the outline of a starfish. She wasn't sure if the girl liked beachy things but there weren't many options for journals with locks.

"Do you think this is too much? I don't think we were supposed to get everything on the list. I think it was just suggestions." Emma asked.

Killian shrugged. They had already gone over the budget set within the email, but Killian found he didn't care. He could imagine how hard it must have been for the family to sign up to be adopted, accepting that they wouldn't be able to provide the Christmas they wanted for their children. "But can you imagine how happy the kids will be, opening all of these gifts on Christmas?"

Emma looked lost in thought for a moment before she blinked her glossy eyes furiously and offered him a soft smile. "You're right. I almost wish we could be there to see it. So I guess it's a simple choice, the twenty pack of these gel pens totally wins out over this boring five pack right?"

"Definitely." Killian replied, grinning when Emma added the large pack of gel pens into the basket along with the journal. She barely took a few more steps before stopping in front of a display of stickers, stamps and stencils.

"These are really cool." Emma said pointing to the stamps. "Do you think they use these in journals?"

"I have no idea love, but I'm sure she could find something to use them for, if not in her journal." Killian replied.

Emma tossed two sets of stickers into the basket, along with a stencil set and strode purposely toward the register. "I'd end up buying it all if I stood there any longer." She told him.

Arms heavy with packages, they made their way back toward the entrance where Emma had parked to unload their packages. Killian's phone chimed indicating he had received an email. After helping Emma to finagle the scooter into her small trunk, he pulled out his phone to read the incoming message. "It's a wish list from the parents." He said excitedly.

Emma threw the rest of the bags in her trunk and slammed down the lid before leaning over toward Killian to look at his phone. "What do they want?" She asked curiously.

"The mother has asked for Clinique Happy perfume and a large baking dish. The father needs a new wallet, portable phone charger and a bottle of rum. Now that I can get behind." Killian replied with a laugh.

Emma laughed. "Good, things for themselves this time! We're probably better off getting those things at the outlets."

"I agree. But we never checked out the line for Santa." Killian said, pouting at her.

Emma offered him an amused look. "You really want to do this, don't you?"

Killian nodded. "I do."

Linking her arm through his, Emma shook her head and let out a little laugh. "Come on, then let's go stand in a crazy long line to most likely be the only adults taking pictures with Santa."

To their surprise the line wasn't nearly as long as either of them had expected. The teenagers dressed as elves directly the lines and waiting children gave them amused looks but didn't comment.

"We're really doing this?" Emma asked. "We're going to look ridiculous."

"Next!" yelled the elf, indicating it was their turn.

Killian tugged Emma up the steps and across the red felt lined stage to where Santa sat on a large, plush chair. Two light up candy canes were on either side, arching over the top of them. The backdrop included a sleigh filled with presents and a six foot tall stuffed reindeer.

"Not my usual crowd." Santa commented with a grin as they approached. "But come on now, I have a knee for each of you."

Killian smiled as Emma blushed furiously before sitting down on Santa's knee. He intended to just crouch down next to the red-suited man, but Santa had other plans, looking pointedly between Killian and his knee. Feeling ridiculous himself, he gingerly perched himself on the other knee.

Santa turned to Emma first. "Your name?"

"Emma." She replied softly, cheeks still tinged pink.

"And you?" Santa asked.

"Killian." He replied.

"Ah, an old-fashioned Irish name. It suits you. Now what brings you two here." Santa asked.

"It was his idea." Emma mumbled.

Santa laughed loudly, his belly jiggling. Killian had to wonder if it was the man's actual stomach or a fake one they had attached to him to complete the look.

"I see. Now I suppose you're both past of the age of writing me letters and wishing for ponies and building sets, so I must ask what you'd like for Christmas this year. Ladies first, Emma." Santa said, turning towards her.

"Umm." Emma mumbled, clearly caught off guard. "I uh…"

"No rush dear. Perhaps a day of pampering? A bottle of your favorite wine? A new dress to wear when this handsome man takes you out to dinner?" Santa suggested, looking pointedly at Killian again.

Emma laughed softly at that. "Actually, I'd like…" She trailed off slightly before leaning in closer to Santa's ear and whispering the rest of her request so that Killian wasn't able to hear.

Santa's face broke out into a grin and he nodded. "I suppose that can be arranged. And you, good sir? What do you want for Christmas?" He asked turning toward Killian.

He was momentarily caught off guard that he didn't get to hear what Emma had requested for Christmas. He looked up at her, faint pink still staining her cheeks, her green eyes glowing and a small smirk on her lips.

Killian leaned in towards Santa, cupping his hand around his mouth as he spoke into the costumed man's ear. "For Emma to have the wonderful Christmas that she deserves."

Santa grinned and winked at him. "I shall do my best." Santa replied.

"Smile!" The elf behind the camera called, pressing the button as the camera took a series of pictures.

They bid goodbye to Santa and walked off the stage to the small booth where the pictures were being processed and sold. An elf informed them it would be a ten minute wait.

"What did you ask for?" Killian asked Emma, curiously.

Emma shook her head. "Nope. Not telling. Christmas wishes are like penny wishes. You can't tell what you wished for or it won't come true."

"Fine." Killian grumbled and went back to waiting for their photos to be developed.

Finally they were ready and an elf directed them into a small viewing area to see which photos they would like to have framed and purchase. He didn't realize the elf had been taking pictures all along. The first picture was focused on Santa and Emma, her leaning in to whisper what she wanted for Christmas. He flipped to the second picture, a small gasp coming from Emma's lips. The picture had been taken as he was looking at Emma before telling Santa what he wanted for Christmas. The photograph had captured the way they were looking at each other, soft smiles and eyes, an image where one could easily say it captured two people in love.

He knew commenting on it would just cause Emma to clam up and possibly withdraw from him so he opted to say nothing. Killian slid the picture off to the side, exposing the next one with his hand cupped to his mouth as he shared his Christmas wish with Santa. The following pictures were of both he and Emma looking at the camera and smiling. A flicker of the light or perhaps some planned camera trick in one photo had small twinkles of light behind Santa who was winking, creating a magical look.

"I like these two the best." He said, selecting the winking photo as well as the one where they were looking at each other.

Emma nodded. "Me too." She answered softly, sliding her fingers between his.

Despite her protests at the outrageous costs, Killian purchased two copies of each of the photographs in frames. "One for you and one for me." He said, silencing her with a kiss to the forehead before she could tell the elf otherwise.

-\\-

His finger traced over the photograph behind glass, lingering when he got to Emma. Her eyes were soft, black lashes framing the green iris; lips curled upward, a small dimple appearing on her cheek. Her hands were clasped together on her lap, legs crossed at the ankles. His back was straight, his chin tilted down slightly as he met her gaze across Santa's lap. His eyebrow was quirked slightly, hands open on his lap. And between them sat a smug Santa, a smirk on his face and his eyebrows slightly raised in amusement as he took in the way they were looking at each other.

His first thought that it looked like a photograph of a couple in love flittered back to the forefront of his mind. He tugged his bottom lip inward with his teeth, realizing his heart had started to beat faster. He hadn't planned for any of this to happen. He intended to simply move to a quiet town and lay low; drown in his sorrows of his lost brother until his lease ended and he would pack up and move onto the next place. And then she had happened. Golden blonde hair and flashing green eyes, guarded smile and a boatload of sarcasm and wit that had him intrigued and wanting to know more from the moment they had met. He was drawn to her, not just for their similarities but because he had never met a woman like her before. She had barely tolerated him which only made him more interested in getting to know her and when she had finally begun to trust him, to let him in, he clung to the opportunity, diving in headfirst without a second thought because he understood he was being granted something special and rare.

He exhaled loudly and accepted his fate. He had fallen head over heels in love with Emma Swan.

* * *

Thank you so much for all your reviews and I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter as well.


	51. Chapter 51

I had such high hopes of getting this posted earlier in the week and then the last 300 words or so just refused to go from brain to fingers. I hate when that happens!

But, this story has (almost) hit another anniversary. Tomorrow (July 31st) will be the one year anniversary since I posted the first chapter. I can barely comprehend that. Here we are 50 chapters later and some of you have been there from the very beginning. Thank you doesn't even begin to convey how I feel about that. For a slow burn that moved at a rate of speed less than a snail, I totally appreciate and love that you've stuck with me (and Emma and Killian) through this story to finally see some payoff. And I promise there is much more to come! (And hopefully it won't take another year to actually complete this story!)

* * *

Chapter 51: Emma

Emma placed the photo of them smiling with Santa on the table closest to the Christmas tree. She wandered around her condo trying to figure out where to place the other photo. Part of her wanted to place it somewhere face down and cover it up so she didn't need to look at it again.

She knew there was no way Killian could have missed the gasp that escaped her lips when they first saw the photo but he hadn't said anything then or on the way home, which she appreciated not knowing at all how to respond or even what to say about it.

She flipped it over, eyes scanning over Killian's face and the way he was looking at her. Almost instantly a swarm of angry butterflies took residence in her stomach, her pulse quickened and she felt uncomfortable all over. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Emma tried to think rationally. It was just a photograph. She was likely reading more into it than what was actually there.

She flipped the photograph over again concentrating on keeping her breathing even. Her eyes immediately went to Killian and the way he was gazing across Santa's lap at her. She had watched enough romantic comedies in her life to know what happened after the guy looked at the girl like that. He would plan a perfect evening and somewhere towards the end of it, he'd go down on one knee holding up a square velvet box, a large diamond within. The girl would cry, eventually say yes and then they would have their wedding and live happily ever after.

Except happily ever after only existed in the movies and Emma had no idea how that would translate to her mess of a life. It made her angry. Angry that she had lost her parents before learning what type of marriage role models they would be. (She liked to believe that they were one of those couples that got along great and never went to bed angry.) She was angry for having to live with her aunt and uncle, definitely not good examples of a relationship. And then there was _him._ The absolute filthiest slime of the earth that had managed to worm his way into her life, convince her that he loved her all while weaving his tangled web of lies. It infuriated her that she hadn't listened to her gut, that she had wanted to be wanted by someone for so long she managed to ignore all of the warning voices in her head until it was too late.

Thinking back on it, she realized although she went through the motions and had responded in kind when he told her that he loved her, she was never really sure if that was how she had felt. He had been the first one to say it and always the one to say it thereafter, before hanging up the phone when they were apart or before going to sleep on the nights they were together. She knew it had bothered him but he never called her out on it and she was content to pretend it wasn't an issue.

She had vague memories of her parents telling her they loved her before they kissed her goodnight. Nearly faceless figures with brown hair and soft smiles. She remembered that much about them and how her mother always smelled of flowers and her father of something with a hint of spice. Not being able to recall their faces made her panic. She had a small box of items they had left for her but only a few photos were included. Her mother holding her in the hospital, the three of them in front of a Christmas tree when she looked about one and a photo from the back of her riding on her father's shoulders, blonde hair in wispy pigtails. There were a few other photos, but her parents weren't in them. She wasn't sure she had ever uttered the words to her aunt and uncle and was quite certain they had never been said to her in return.

The last time she had spoken the phrase had been in the hospital, her hand pressed over her stomach as though she was trying to keep the baby within, as if saying the words and actually meaning them could stop the cruel event happening to her.

She wasn't sure she was physically capable of saying the words to another person or how she would react if it was ever said to her again.

-\\-

Emma arrived early to the auto shop. She had spent most of the night obsessing over the photograph of her and Killian, even going as far as to take a picture of it with her phone to see if anything changed while looking at a photo of a photo, and since she was unable to sleep she opted to come into work early. She sat at her desk, head bent over her phone, staring at the image. Her fingers drummed nervously on the wood, her right knee bouncing so high it was practically hitting the underside of the desk. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip, an exasperated sigh escaping her lips.

"What's wrong Emma?" Ruby asked.

Emma jumped. She hadn't heard her friend come in. "What do you think of this picture?" She asked carefully, handing over her phone and trying to keep the panic within.

Ruby's eyebrows shot up as a grin broke out over her face. "It's adorable. I can't believe Killian talked you into getting a picture taken with Santa. Is this at the mall?"

"Yeah it's at the mall. That's it though, just that it's adorable?" Emma asked nervously. She was surprised Ruby had picked up on it right away, especially given the way Emma was acting.

Ruby glanced down at the image again. "You both look really happy."

"Okay, great. Thanks." Emma replied, feeling anything but thankful as she reached out to take her phone back from her friend.

"What do you see when you look at it?" Ruby asked.

Ah, so there it was. "Nothing, I mean, I don't know. There's something about the way Killian is looking at me thought…" Emma trailed off unsure of how to ask her friend if they were seeing the same thing.

Ruby sighed, running her hand through her hair. "Oh no. I am not going to be the reason you freak out."

" _You're_ not the reason. I just want to know if I'm seeing something that isn't actually there." Emma explained.

"And if I see what you see, you freak out and pull away from Killian. Nope, I'm not helping you with that." Ruby replied.

Anger coursed through Emma's veins. She opened her mouth to let her friend have it, but stopped herself, realizing that at any other time Ruby would be right. It wouldn't matter if Ruby confirmed or denied what Emma was seeing, it would be enough to cause her to flip out, to pull away from Killian.

But that wasn't how she felt this time and that surprised even her. The usual overwhelming desire to run or hide wasn't there. She had no idea why, but had decided to take her issues one at a time and the first one she intended to deal with was why she could not stop obsessing about the photograph. She took a deep breath. "Ruby, I'm not going to freak out about this. I know that's my usual MO, but it's not going to happen. I'm calm about this."

The incredulous look Ruby was giving her caused Emma to pause.

"Fine, not completely calm, but just anxious. Not like pack up and leave the country anxious or even avoid him for a few days anxious. Just...curious anxious." Emma amended.

"You are completely, without a doubt sure you want to hear the truth?" Ruby questioned.

"Yes." Emma replied without hesitation.

Ruby grabbed the phone back from Emma and pressed the button to bring up the image again. She studied it for a few seconds, her brow furrowing before her expression softened and she shook her head slightly. "The truth Emma, is he's looking at you like you're the last breath of oxygen in the room. And to him, maybe you are. You've focused so much on pulling away from him because of how much he could hurt you, but have you ever thought about what it's like for him? How hurt he was when he came here? And how your reactions could have affected him? I'm not talking about the bad stuff, I mean the good. I think you've helped him just as much as he's helped you." She paused, letting her words sink in.

"So no, you're not seeing something in this picture that isn't there. Killian's looking at you like he's head over heels in love with you, and to be completely honest, it's not the first time he's looked at you like this." Ruby finished.

Emma let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Ruby had confirmed her thoughts exactly. Well, not the part where she could have helped Killian, she hadn't even thought about that, but she had correctly pegged the way Killian was looking at her. A maelstrom of emotions coursed through her. Fear at first, not knowing how her relationship with Killian would progress now, anxiety for the same reasons but most importantly, she felt relieved and wasn't exactly sure why. Of course it was a relief that she hadn't been simply imagining things, but there was more to it than that, more than she could explain.

"What do I do?" Emma asked.

"That's up to you." Ruby told her. "You could just focus on being happy together, like you have been and see where it goes from there. Maybe prepare yourself for the idea that he might tell you he loves you so you know how to respond."

"What if I don't say it back?" Emma asked, beginning to panic again.

"Emma, we're talking about Killian. If he tells you he loves you, I could pretty much bet my wedding money on the fact that he'll either start or end the conversation by telling you that you don't need to say it back. If you don't love him, or at least deeply care about him, you might want to let him know that as to not crush the guy further into thinking you're just not willing to say it." Ruby told her.

"I care, a lot. I just don't know if it's love or if I could say it." Emma admitted.

"Let him know how you feel using words you're comfortable with, Emma." Ruby instructed.

It made sense, what Ruby was saying but Emma had no idea if she could respond to Killian without messing everything up. Words didn't come easy to her, especially in emotional situations. She crossed her fingers, hoping she had more than enough time to figure out how to deal with everything.

-\\-

She found herself unable to sleep that night, tossing and turning under the warmth of the comforter. Grabbing her phone off the nightstand, she pressed the button, squinting in the dark as the screen illuminated the room. It was just after one in the morning, which by her usual insomniac standards was pretty early but she knew there was no chance of sleeping at all tonight without an intervention.

Emma tried the CD Killian had got her first, listening to the soothing sounds of the waves crashing in the ocean, trying to picture herself on the beach in the summer, the warm arm surrounding her. She gave up after thirty minutes and tried to find a movie to watch, but nothing good was one and she refused to watch infomercials around the holidays.

Resigned that her brain would not rest until she visited the ocean in person, Emma added layer after layer over her pajamas before shoving her feet into her boots. Coat on and zipped up, gloves covering her fingers, scarf wrapped around her neck and ear muffs covering her ears she stomped towards the front door with her keys in hand, all the while arguing with herself that she didn't really need to see the ocean when the temperature was well under the freezing mark, but she couldn't stop herself from going on.

Her knees knocked together in the cold as she waited for the heat to start churning out of the vents of her old vehicle. When the engine had finally warmed up enough that Emma could ease the car into gear, she backed down her darkened driveway onto the equally dark road and headed toward the beach.

As she expected, no one was out on the roads at this hour. Although it was nearing last call for the bars, the locals had likely called it an early night, not wanting to deal with the frigid temperatures any longer than they needed to.

She parked in the first spot closest to the beach and got out, slamming her door in annoyance that she had managed to drag herself out here on what was likely one of the coldest nights ever. The wind whipped harshly, howling loud enough to drown out the sounds of the ocean as it whipped gusts of sand against her body. She squinted in the dark, pulling her hood down and her scarf up, trying to shield her face from the worst of the sand, all the while grumbling internally to herself that she was actually on the beach in these conditions.

She didn't walk far off the boardwalk, having no desire to get any closer to the ocean and the ice-cold winds coming off it. She watched as the foamy white-caps crashed roughly into the shore. The wind whipped past her, her knees nearly knocking together from the chill. _See?_ She asked herself. _What exactly is the point in coming to the ocean when it's below freezing and not at all calming?_

She stomped her feet in the sand, trying to feel her legs again. Desperate to give her mind the calmness it desired, Emma closed her eyes and stood perfectly still. She focused on the howl of the wind and the crash of the waves, ignoring that they seemed just as restless as her, and listened for the repetition. Her mind blocking out the howling wind and focused on the crash and pull of the ocean.

Finally, with a numb face and knocking knees, her mind was at peace enough to hopefully allow her rest for the remainder of the morning hours.

-/-

"Where would you like to spend Christmas, love? My place or yours?" Killian asked.

"It doesn't matter to me." Emma replied and it truly didn't. Both of their places were decorated for the holiday and she could easily pack up the gifts for Killian and Brinkley and take them over to his place.

"Hmm." Killian murmured. "You do possess more kitchen items than me, perhaps the meal will be easier to make there."

"You and Brinkley are welcome here, you know that. What's this about a meal?" Emma asked.

"I thought perhaps we could cook dinner on Christmas. Start a new tradition." Killian told her.

"You're really into traditions, aren't you?" Emma asked.

Killian hummed. "I like doing new things with you."

Emma knew he meant it platonically, the usually teasing when he was making a suggestive comment gone from his voice, but her mind immediately went to the gutter. "Oh yeah?" She asked, voice coming out breathier than she had intended.

"Swan," he warned. "That's not at all what I meant. Had I been talking about our bedroom activities I'd have said I like doing new things _to_ you." He replied exaggerating the word.

Which of course did nothing to help the course Emma's brain had gone down. She was instantly curious to know what new things he wanted to try.

"Emma," His voice sounded strained and she realized she had spent too much time silent. "You'll be the death of me, woman. Now perhaps we could get back on task?"

She cleared her throat and mentally shook her head. "Yeah, sorry. So a meal, huh?"

"Yes. I came up with a few possibilities, if you'll help me choose the one you prefer." Killian said.

"I'm all ears." Emma replied, focusing.

Killian laughed. "Option one is a Rosemary garlic prime rib with roasted potatoes and some vegetable. Option two is a delayed feast of the seven fish since it's usually on Christmas eve and my last possibility is lasagna with homemade sauce."

Emma was impressed at his choices. None were quick or easy recipes, all requiring a decent amount of ingredients and skill. And a pretty significant amount of time, although it wasn't like they had other plans for the day. "Hmm, someone has been catching up on Food Network." She teased. "They all sound really good but I like the idea of homemade lasagna. The side dishes for it are easy too, garlic bread and a salad."

"True, but we can hardly pick up a bag of salad mix and a box of frozen garlic bread if we're making the sauce from scratch. It would be insulting to the lasagna." Killian told her.

Emma laughed. "I had no idea lasagna was so easily insulted. But fine, we'll purchase a loaf of bread and make garlic bread. Do you want to do our own salad dressing then?"

"Now that's the spirit, Swan! Yes, we'll make our own dressing. Since the sauce will take hours I suppose a charcuterie would nice to nibble on. And we can hardly have all of those Italian dishes without tiramisu for dessert." Killian replied happily.

"Did you ever have cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas?" Emma asked.

"No, but I've always been fond of the tradition." Killian answered.

"I kind of want those too." Emma said, thinking about the warm soft dough covered in cinnamon sugar and sweet cream cheese icing.

"We can make them." Killian offered.

"Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be the least relaxing Christmas ever?" Emma laughed.

Killian paused. "Hmm, maybe we can see if anything can be made in advance. I don't want you to feel as though it's not really a holiday."

"It's not a big deal. It's not like we have other plans or something. I don't mind being in the kitchen with you." Emma told him.

"Then our menu seems to be settled." Killian replied.


	52. Chapter 52

**I'm sorry for my mini hiatus there. A super, super busy week and a half was followed by a few days on vacation without internet access. I intended to post before I went away, but that didn't happen. Good news is, I made the most of my disappearance by getting a few chapters written in the process.**

 **To the guest who reviewed and checked up on me, thanks for doing so! I'm back now, I promise.**

* * *

Chapter 52: Killian

In spite of the bitter temperatures Killian rolled down the passenger-side window halfway for Brinkley. Cranking the heat up, Killian shivered slightly mentally chastising himself for catering to a dog who could endure a thirty minute vehicle ride without an open window.

Brinkley immediately stuck his head out the window, mouth open with his pink tongue lolling to the side at the rush of air as they sped down the highway. He put his head back in the window and sat patiently when Killian pulled into a parking space and removed the keys from the ignition.

Killian got out of the truck and opened the passenger side door allowing Brinkley to jump out. He rolled the window back up and took the leash in his other hand. Brinkley rarely needed a leash but the pet store required all visiting canines to be on one.

Killian's nose wrinkled as he pulled open the door to the pet store, scents of dog and pet food mingled together in the air to create a combination most unpleasant. At his feet Brinkley was as obedient as ever, as though he was showing off to the other dogs how one should behave in public. He headed down the aisle to the dog food, Brinkley following behind him.

A yorkie at the end of the aisle dressed in a sweater and pink bow let out what Killian assumed was meant to be a ferocious bark. He glanced down at Brinkley who was looking back up at him with a face that had Killian convinced they were on the same page. As Killian hunted for the particular brand of dog food, the yorkie continued to bark despite the claims from her owner to hush up.

"Your dog is so well behaved." The yorkie's owner told him as Killian and Brinkley got closer. "Nothing like this disobedient yapper."

Brinkley ignored the small dog with an impressive level of disinterest. "He's always been very calm but I'm sure the obedience lessons helped." Killian replied, glancing over at the owner before looking back at the shelf.

The pet store was the closest around and had decent prices but they were constantly reorganizing the layout of the store. Upon every visit Killian had to scour the length of the dog food aisle to find the brand that Brinkley preferred. His eyes finally landed on the bag of food he needed, on the bottom shelf. Kneeling down he pulled the largest bag off the shelf and nodded a goodbye to the owner of the yorkie.

"I suppose you want to look in the toy aisle even though it's practically Christmas." Killian asked aloud.

Brinkley led the way, stopping in front of a tube of tennis balls. Killian grabbed a pack of them and made his way up to the front of the store. The cashier complimented and fawned over Brinkley (as she and the others had done on every visit), offering him a treat. Handing over Killian's change and the receipt, the cashier nodded to a framed print at the register. A dog with elf ears sat at Santa's feet. "We're doing photos with Santa today. Starts in an hour, if you're interested."

Tossing the bag of food and tennis balls on the floor of the truck Killian debated whether getting Brinkley's picture taken with Santa was worth the wait. Emma's voice piped up in his head, telling him that if he made her endure standing in a line for a photo with Santa, the least he could do is to put Brinkley through the same process.

To pass the time he wandered into a few of the nearby stores, picking up a bottle of rum for the adopted family's father as well as the portable phone charger. He found a mug with 'hot chocolate addict' swirled on it in a fancy font that he couldn't pass up getting for Emma.

With a little over fifteen minutes to spare before the photos with Santa were to start, Killian dropped off the second round of packages in his truck and headed back into the pet store with Brinkley in tow. It seemed they had arrived at the perfect time, only three people in line ahead of them and dozens more filing in behind directly after.

His phone rang and as it had done hundreds of times before, the image on the screen brought a smile to his lips. He had snapped a quick photo of an unassuming Emma on the beach one early evening. Against the red and orange glow of the sky, her blonde hair seemed even brighter, her green eyes sparkling, a carefree smile on her face.

"Hello love." He answered, genuinely happy.

"Hey." She replied. He could hear a lot of noise in the background. "So I'm out shopping with Ruby. Do you mind if I pick up the perfume and baking dish for the adopted family?"

"Not at all. Actually, I just purchased the rum and phone charger for the father." Killian answered.

"Oh! Great! What else did he want? A wallet? Do you want me to look for one?" She asked.

"That would be great love. We have to wrap everything and drop it off by this Wednesday." Killian replied.

"I'm a gift bag kind of girl." Emma told him.

He made a noise of discontent. "The gifts for the children should at least be wrapped."

"If you really want to traumatize this poor family with gifts that look like they were wrapped by a blind, three-fingered giant…" Emma warned.

Killian couldn't help but chuckle at her description. "I'll pick up wrapping paper and bows."

"Suit yourself, buddy." Emma replied, then paused as though she was just hearing the noise surrounding him. "Where the hell are you? It sounds like a pet store high on...well, whatever gets animals high."

Killian laughed again. "Accurate guess. Brinkley was out of food and it just so happens that they are doing pet photos with Santa this afternoon. We're in line."

"It's good to know you subject Brinkley to the same torture as me. I was beginning to feel singled out. And not in the good way." Emma deadpanned.

"Unlike you, someone is happy to be waiting in line and is clearly excited to have his photo taken with Santa." Killian huffed.

"Keep telling yourself that-oh hey, I gotta go, Ruby is glaring at me because apparently she's been calling my name for the last five minutes or something." Emma said in a rush.

"Enjoy your shopping trip. Goodbye, love." Killian replied.

Santa had a delayed opening, something to do with a malfunctioning camera, but less than thirty minutes later it was their turn. Killian chose a red headband with jingling bells and a red and white striped scarf for Brinkley to wear in his photo. While he was easily led over to Santa by one of the elves, he offered Killian a whimper expressing his dislike for the event.

A few photos were snapped, the scarf and headband removed, and a treat was offered that Brinkley gobbled up quickly. The photos had been taken with a quick-processing camera and the options were handed over to Killian almost immediately. In one photo Santa was patting Brinkley on the head, in another Brinkley laid at Santa's feet, a disinterested expression obvious on his face.

Killian bought both, knowing that Emma would get a kick out of the second picture.

-\\-

He frowned at the lopsided box covered in red and green stripes with a haphazardly placed white bow that Emma handed to him.

"What?" She asked defensively. "I warned you about my wrapping skills."

Killian had mistakenly assumed she was exaggerating but found that not to be the case. She had used nearly three times the amount of paper necessary, edges folded in awkwardly and tape running the length of the seams. He couldn't help it, he started to laugh. The package looked as though it were wrapped exactly how Emma had described, by a blind three-fingered giant.

She snorted at him and he turned to her eyes, filled with pity as he tried to stifle his laughter. A roll of tape hit him in the chest. "Sorry love," he said through his laughter. "I thought you were exaggerating your lack of wrapping skills."

Her arms crossed in front of her chest, eyes narrowing and then as adult as ever, she sneered at him and stuck out her tongue. "Let's see your wrapping skills."

Ten minutes later, Killian had to admit that wrapping unevenly shaped packages was not as easy as he first thought. "Perhaps you are onto something with gift bags." He said admitting defeat.

Between the two of them, they managed to semi-decently wrap the perfectly shaped packaged and stuffed all of the others into an assortment of gift bags. Killian was happy Emma had the foresight to purchase an enormous bag in which they could place all of the gifts.

She had also purchased a Christmas card, a tree light up with presents underneath, the inside of the card blank. "Your handwriting is better." She had told him, saying that he should be the one to write Merry Christmas on the inside.

-\\-

"Wow!" The receptionist stood up quickly, her chair scattering backward into the file cabinet behind her desk. She leaned over her monitor looking at the enormous bag Killian had brought in. "Someone was feeling generous."

He gave her a small smile. "I suppose we were. Where do I take the donation?"

The receptionist blinked a few times before shaking her head slightly. "Oh, right, sorry. You can take it to the second office on the left."

Killian followed her instructions, opening the door to find a small room already overcrowded with boxes and bags of gifts. A petite elderly woman sat behind a small desk, a clipboard on top with many pages flipped over. "Oh hello!" She smiled warmly at Killian. "Do you have your adopted family number? I can mark off that the gifts have been dropped off."

Killian quickly brought up the information on his phone and relayed it to the woman. She flipped through a few more pages before checking off a series of boxes. "Thank you very much, Mr. Jones. The family will greatly appreciate your generosity."

-\\-

He slid into the booth next to Emma, bumping his hip against hers and stealing an onion ring from the plate that sat in front of her. Over the noise of the bar he still heard the low growl from the back of her throat. Smiling, he ducked his head and pressed a loud, smacking kiss to her cheek. "Thank you for the onion ring, love." He said cheerfully.

Across the table from him Ruby and David held in their laughter. Maggie, who clearly wasn't in on Emma's reluctance to share food, and didn't hear the growl, beamed at him, taking the gesture as one of a happy couple.

They were gathered at the local barbecue joint for trivia night and to discuss the New Year's Eve party that David planned on holding at Coconut's. The food and drink specials for trivia nights were too good to be passed up; the table now lined with brisket nachos, onion rings, two different flavors of wings and fried pickles. Killian scooped up a pile of brisket, melted cheese and a jalapeno slice onto a tortilla chip and brought it up towards his mouth.

Slender fingers wrapped firmly around his wrist, guiding the chip away from his mouth and towards hers. She parted her lips, pushed the chip inside and closed her mouth, grinning evilly at him. Ruby snorted into her bourbon crush. "Well played darling." He said barely moving his lips.

"We need a good team name. Who is good at coming up with things like that?" Maggie asked.

Four sets of eyes swung to her. Maggie nodded. "Right, I suppose I am…" She flipped the pen between her fingers, thinking of a name. "Oh!" her face lit up. "I've got it. We can be 'Are you smarter than a third grade...teacher'!"

"That's perfect." Emma said, popping another onion ring into her mouth. "Except, we hope they aren't because we kinda need you to know all of the answers."

As the plates of food slowly disappeared and drinks were filled, they discussed the upcoming party. While the restaurant was open during the winter it had much shorter hours and typically was closed to the public the week between Christmas and New Year's. David brought in a professional cleaning company to scrub the building from top to bottom, steam clean all of the carpets and add a wax seal over the tile flooring. Any chips or scuffs in the paint were touched up during that time as well.

David told them he planned to offer a Christmas Eve brunch this year ending at two and the restaurant would close until the dinner the day after Christmas. The New Year's eve party would be a high end affair with an open bar and appetizers and a higher fee than they had charged previously.

"I think it would be fun to get all dressed up and bring in the new year in real style." Maggie said.

"We did really, really well this summer." David added. "None of the staff are expected to work, I'm going to be bring in an outside catering company and they'll just use the restaurant's kitchen. I was thinking we could have a professional photographer and donate some money to the town's fireworks display to make it even better."

Maggie nudged her husband and shot him a knowing look. "Oh, right." David continued. "I know I gave the three of you bonuses at the end of the summer but I have a holiday bonus for you as well."

Maggie pulled three envelopes from her purse and David handed them out. "Merry early Christmas."

Killian sat stunned for a few seconds. Emma appeared to be just as surprised as he was. Finally Ruby managed to speak for the three of them. "Thank you. Really, we don't need this."

David rolled his eyes. "Don't be modest Ruby, everyone likes money, especially before the holidays. And you're getting married soon, I'm sure this can go to good use. Emma, Killian, I don't care what you spend it on, but we please ask that you do something fun with it. None of that boring save it for a rainy day stuff."

"I volunteer to take them both shopping to spend it appropriately." Ruby replied enthusiastically.

Killian looked at Emma and shrugged. She shook her head. "I promise not to save all of it, but I do not need another three hour adventure at Home Goods where I end up with picture frames and multiple sets of towels."

Ruby pretended to pout. "Both of you are terribly boring."

"Thank you for hanging out with us during that quick trivia break! We're almost halfway through! Here are the current standings. In fifth place with thirty-six points we have Trivia Busters, in fourth place with forty-four points we have Masters of the Pencil, third place with fifty points exactly goes to Trivia Gives Me Orgasms. We have a tie for second place right now, with fifty-eight points each we have Are You Smarter Than a Third Grade Teacher and The Lions Den. And our current first place team with sixty-one points is I Know You Are, But What Am I. The scores are really close and it is still anyone's game so take another swig of your drink and figure out the answer to this question….What phrase, often used in typing practice, includes every letter of the English alphabet?" The announcer asked.

Emma and Ruby mirrored each other with shocked expressions. "Tied for second place? How the hell did we pull that off?" Emma asked.

Maggie gave them all a smug look. "I'm good at trivia. You were talking about the party, I was listening to the questions."

"Damn girl." Ruby replied.

"Wait so what was the last question?" David asked, a determined look coming over his face.

"What phrase, often used in typing practice, includes every letter of the English alphabet?" Killian repeated.

"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Maggie whispered.

They clinked glasses and offered Maggie praise when the announcer told them it was the correct answer.

They managed to get the next few questions right; what was the first feature length animated film (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), What year did the Houston Texans become a team in the NFL (2002), what musician was shot on April 1st, 1984 (Marvin Gaye) and what do the letters T.A.R.D.I.S stand for in relation to Doctor Who (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) before they couldn't agree on the answer to a question.

"Which book was rejected by twelve publishers before being accepted by Bloomsbury?" The announcer asked.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Emma and Ruby had answered in unison.

"I think it's Philosopher's Stone. That's what they referred to it as in the UK." Maggie whispered and Killian had agreed with her. Emma and Ruby weren't convinced it was the correct answering seeing as they were answering the question in the United States. Killian countered that it was first published in the UK, therefore the UK naming of the book had to be the correct one. Eventually they all turned to David to be the tie breaker as time was running out to submit their answer.

David frowned. "I have to go with Maggie and Killian. I think it they'll want the first title it was published under."

Maggie scribbled down the rest of the answer and practically jogged up to the table where the announcer was sitting to drop their answer in the bowl. She had just returned to her seat when the announcer called out the answer.

"And the correct answer to that question is "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" but we will also accept "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" as that was how the book was released here."

Killian laughed. They had nearly begun arguing over the title of a children's book only to find out that both versions of the title would be accepted. Emma joined in laughing and before long their entire table had a case of the giggles that couldn't be controlled.

"Harry Potter. Causing adults to argue since 1997." Ruby managed to splutter out between laughter.

Eventually they managed to get themselves together just in time for the next question, which was "What fruit flavor is in Fresca soda?"

It turned out grapefruit was the correct answer, which Maggie somehow knew as well. Finally the last trivia question of the night was asked. "Who was the last professional hockey player to play without a helmet."

The five of them sat stumped at the question, each looking at each other with confusion on their faces. "I honestly have no idea." Maggie replied.

Emma shrugged. "I know nothing about hockey."

"Skates, puck, lots of punches. There ends my expertise." Ruby replied.

Killian met David's eye, feeling as the males of the group they should have some inclination as to who the last player could be, but Killian had never been a hockey fan and judging from the blank look on David's face, the sport was not a favorite of the other man's either.

In the end Maggie wrote down the only name that came to mind, knowing it was not the correct answer and turned in the slip of paper.

They finished their drinks and stacked the plates up on the table for the bus boy. David brought up the New Year's Eve party again and Ruby interrupted him with a slap of her hand to the table. "Emma! Sorry, to interrupt David...you can use your bonus money to get a new dress for the party! And your nails done."

"That's a wonderful idea. I would love to do one of those spa packages." Maggie admitted.

"Come with us." Ruby replied immediately before turning to Emma. "We can do a small package so you can limit the amount of pampering you get."

Emma shook her head. "No it kind of sounds like fun actually. I just don't want to be there all day or spend more than I make in a month."

"We can work around that, I promise." Ruby replied, grinning.

Killian listened halfheartedly as the women made plans to go shopping for dresses after the holiday and to plan their spa day the day of the party. Finally the announcer had finished tallying up the votes.

"Alright, I'm just going to list first, second and third place. If you'd like to know where you fall after that, come up and see me and I'll give you the final score. Drumroll please…" He said and waited until everyone had drummed on the table for a sufficient amount of time. "Third place goes to Trivia Gives Me Orgasms with eighty-three points. Second place goes to I Know You Are, But What Am I with ninety-six points and the first place goes to Are You Smarter Than a Third Grade Teacher with ninety-seven points. Very, very close call there! Congrats to Are You Smarter Than a Third Grade Teacher for edging I Know You Are, But What Am I out by just one point! Please send a member of your group up to accept your prize."

They all stared at each other in shock for a moment letting the announcer's words sink in before Ruby shrieked. "We won! I can't freaking believe we won trivia night!" They all agreed that Maggie should be the one to go up and accept the prize, which was a one-hundred dollar gift certificate to the restaurant.

David tried to convince one of them to take it, but they all refused. Finally Killian came up with a solution that the card could be used the next time they all came out to trivia.

-\\-

"I can't believe you doubted my Harry Potter knowledge." Emma whispered, reaching up and turning off the bedroom light.

Killian's arm slid around her waist, nose sinking into her hair. "Tsk. I did not doubt your knowledge, I simply thought the correct answer would include the title where the book was first released."

"Semantics." She muttered.

"We still won. Don't be bitter." He advised.

"I'm not." Emma replied grumpily.

Killian pulled the hair back from her neck and dipped his face into the spot between her neck and shoulder. He licked a stripe up her neck, trying to withhold a grin as he felt her shudder.

"What the hell was that about?" Emma asked.

"Making sure you weren't actually bitter." Killian replied seriously.

Emma laughed. "Go to sleep goofball."

"As the lady requests."

* * *

The restaurant where they went to play trivia does exist, it's Bethany Blues in Rehoboth, DE. Their brisket nachos are to die for, as are the bourbon crushes in case you find yourself in the area one day.


	53. Chapter 53

It's almost Christmas for Emma and Killian!

* * *

Chapter 53: Emma

Emma folded the shirt and stuck it into a gift box. A Christmas scene was printed on the box, therefore it required no wrapping skills at all, which Emma was grateful for. She folded sparkly snowman printed tissue paper over the gloves and placed the lid of top, adding a small piece of tape at each corner to keep it closed. She stuck a small green bow on the top left corner of the box.

She placed the gloves in a small gift bag and spent more time than any one person should trying to arrange the tissue paper to look pretty and hide the gift within.

Emma had bought three toys for Brinkley and had at first put them all in one larger gift bag before realizing the tree would look better with more presents underneath it and it would be more fun to give the gifts to Brinkley individually. She removed two toys and added them into their own bags, giving up on making the tissue paper perfect. It wasn't as though Brinkley would notice. She wrapped up the remaining gifts she had bought for Killian and hoped that it wasn't too much. They hadn't talked about a budget for gifts or really even discussed exchanging them at all.

She placed the presents under the tree and stood back, admiring her work. It had been years since she had seen a fully decorated Christmas tree with real presents underneath.

Settling down on the couch and pulling a large blanket over her, Emma turned on the television and flipped through the channels trying to find a holiday movie to watch. Home Alone 2 had started only a few minutes ago so she settled for that, amused that the family had once again left behind their child before vacation. The movies were popular in her childhood and she had found herself happy Ingrid and Tony never had the money to go on vacations, especially around the holidays, not entirely convinced they wouldn't somehow forget to bring her along or leave her somewhere accidentally-on-purpose.

She made it to the scene where Kevin was gifted the turtle dove ornaments when her phone rang. She smiled, seeing it was Killian. "Hey." She answered.

"Hello, love! You'll never guess what I was given today." Killian said, happiness radiating from his voice.

Instantly Emma was equal parts curious and excited. She had never heard Killian sound so gleeful. "You're right, I won't guess, so you should tell me."

"Now what is the fun in that?" He teased.

"It's practical. I'm a terrible guesser. I have no idea. Stop dragging this out and tell me." Emma told him.

Killian sighed audibly. "You have to guess." He enunciated each word.

"Fine." Emma huffed. "A raise? A permanent position at the library? A winning lottery ticket?"

"No, no and no." Killian replied. "But good guesses. Are you home? Since you'll never guess I'd love to show you."

"Show me? It's a physical thing? A pet for Brinkley? A new truck? Glasses?" Emma guessed.

Killian laughed. "I assure you my eyesight has not changed and my truck remains the same. Really love, a pet for Brinkley? Why on earth would my dog need his own pet?" He sounded genuinely baffled by the last question.

"Brinkley is the most human dog I've ever met. Don't even pretend like you haven't thought about getting a playmate for him before." Emma countered.

"I have, but I think he prefers to be an only dog child. A playmate is hardly the same thing as a pet." Killian responded.

"You know as well as I do that if you brought home any type of animal that Brinkley would immediately assume that it was a pet for him and not for you." Emma replied.

"Did he tell you that?" Killian asked. "I'm surprised at how well you know my dog."

"He's easy to read." Emma said. "And yes, I'm home. Now get your ass over here and tell me what you got. I hate suspense."

Killian laughed at her demanding tone. "Good thing I'm already on my way to you. I'll be there in a few minutes. See you shortly, love."

Emma pressed the button on her phone to disconnect the call. Tossing the blanket aside, she swung her legs out from under her and quickly made her way into the bathroom. Although Killian had seen her first thing in the morning, directly out of the shower and drenched by random rain storms she still felt the need to make sure he wasn't going to encounter anything too terrible looking. Her bun was lopsided from lying on the couch, pieces sticking out strangely from the sides. Unwinding the elastic, she twisted her hair back up again and licked her pointer fingers, swiping them under her eyes to remove any stray mascara that may have gotten stuck here. She quickly brushed her teeth, then looked down and realized she was wearing her rattiest pair of pajamas.

She knew Killian wouldn't care and likely wouldn't even comment, but that didn't stop her from pulling on a pair of fleece-lined leggings and an oversized sweater. Emma had just crossed through the doorway from her bedroom to the hallway when she heard his knock at the door.

Pulling open the door she yanked him in and quickly shut it behind her. Killian laughed. "Cold?"

"It's winter. I'm always cold. So, what did you get?" Emma asked impatiently bouncing from foot to foot.

Killian shook his head at her amused. He pulled off his jacket and hung it over one of her chairs before coming in front of her again and ducking his head to press his lips to hers. His arms wrapped loosely around her middle. Emma reacted immediately, her arms wrapping around him as she went up on tiptoe to lessen the distance he had to duck down. Killian broke the kiss, his lips lingering above hers. "Now that I've properly greeted you, perhaps you would like to see what I was given."

Keeping her arms around him Emma walked them backwards to the couch. She spun them around and pushed Kilian down into a sitting position before sitting on the couch herself, tossing her legs over his lap. "Hi. And yes, just show me already!"

"Of course." Killian replied, lifting his hips to reach into the pocket of his jeans. "Oh, I must have put it in the pocket of my coat." He lifted her legs and stood up to get it.

"Are you purposely trying to drag this out even longer?" Emma asked, voice laced with impatience.

"No, love. I'm honestly not." Killian said grabbing his phone and a folded piece of paper from his coat and joining her again on the couch. "This first." He said, swiping to his email app and selecting a message. He tilted his phone in Emma's direction so she could read it.

 _Mr. Jones,_

 _I hope that you are not upset when you read this message. The gifts purchased by you and Miss Swan were delivered to your adopted family last week. I received a visit from the son yesterday, begging me to tell him who had given them the gifts. I explained to him that participants were to remain anonymous, which he was unwilling to accept. Eventually we were able to come to an agreement that I would pass along the note he provided to me and if you did not wish to have any further contact, he would understand. Additionally, I did slip up and tell him that it was a man and woman who purchased the gifts for their family. My sincerest apologies if you wished to remain entirely anonymous. I have mailed you the letter he left to me today. You should receive it within a day or two._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Adopt A Family Program_

Emma noticed that the email was dated three days ago. "Did you get the letter?"

"I did." Killian replied handing her the folded piece of notebook paper.

Emma carefully unfolded it and smoothed it out over her lap.

 _Dear Mister and Miss,_

 _I don't know your names and the lady here won't tell me. She said you want to stay uhnon- anonomuss. I hope you are not mad that I want to tell you what happened. My mom and dad told us that Santa Claus was not going to bring lots of gifts this year. Monday I stayed home from school. I has a cold. There was a lady at the door and mom opened it. This nice lady came inside with a big bag of gifts. I keeped asking my mom where they came from and she started crying but smiling. She told me she asked for help for Christmas and you and the lady are the helpers. You are not elves right? Mom hid the gifts (in her closet but I am not subposed to know wear). She said we can open them on Christmas. So I does not know what they are but I still wanted to write to you and tell you thank you. THANK YOU! You made my mom smile and I like when she does that. The lady hear said she will tell me if I can write you again. I hope so._

 _Your freind,_

 _Joe_

Emma folded the letter back up and wordlessly handed it to Killian. She turned to meet his eyes, frowning slightly when she saw the hesitation in his face. "I don't even know what to say."

Relief crept up over Killian's features. "Aye love, it is rather overwhelming. I was at a loss for words after I read it the first time."

"Do you think we should encourage contact? I don't know how I feel about it. On one hand, it's great that we got such a well deserving family who will really appreciate it, and on the other hand, it seems...I don't know, showy to say who we are." Emma said, fingers fidgeting together.

"I had those same thoughts." Killian replied, taking her hand and linking his fingers through hers. "I thought we could compromise, just using our first initials."

Emma nodded. "That works for me. K and E isn't very obvious."

"Let's write a letter back to Joe then? Do you have any paper?" Killian asked.

Emma found an old notebook and handed it to Killian along with a pen, saying his handwriting was prettier.

"Why thank you, love. Tis not every day a man heard that his handwriting is pretty." He had teased her.

Together they composed a short letter back to the boy, telling him that they were not elves but his mother was correct in calling them helpers. They wanted to help his family have a great Christmas and that they were very happy to hear that his mother was smiling. They thanked Joe for writing to them and ended the letter by telling him that they were wished they could see his and his sisters reactions when they opened their gifts.

-/-

"Happy Christmas Eve." Killian said, pressing a lingering kiss to her temple.

Emma leaned in closer to the heat radiating off of him. It was bitterly cold outside with a chance of precipitation for the next few days and her heating system was struggling to keep up. She didn't know the last time there was a chance of a white Christmas. It had clearly been some time as even the newscasters and meteorologists were overly excited about the possibility.

Her thickest fleece leggings covered her legs. Knee high tightly knit wool socks covered her feet and a long-sleeved thermal shirt peeked out from under the oversized fleece cardigan she wore. Killian, on the other hand, wore a pair of jeans and a thin, Henley-style shirt. His feet were bare and more than a few buttons of his shirt were undone.

"How are you always so warm?" Emma asked, turning her face to press against his chest. She felt him shrug. She knew they had a lot to do, but she didn't want to lose her personal heater. Her arms slid around him, anchoring him in place against her.

They stood that way for quite some time, Emma felt her hair get tangled in his scruff as he brushed his chin against the top of her head. She let her body relax, listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat, softly inhaling the scent of his cologne. She pulled away slowly, blinking a few times to clear her tired mind. "Is there anything we need to prep for tomorrow?" She asked.

"The cinnamon rolls can be made tonight. Perhaps more, but we can start there and see how much more we feel like cooking afterward. I wouldn't want you to feel too worked this holiday." Killian teased with a smile.

"Let's make sure we have everything. The stores close early tonight." Emma said.

Killian agreed and pulled out the stack of recipes he had brought along. They started with the pantry ingredients, confirming there were lasagna noodles, a loaf of French bread, enough flour, sugar and cinnamon for the rolls, ladyfingers for the tiramisu and oils and spices for each recipe. In the fridge there were plenty of vegetables for the salad, a variety of cheeses for the lasagna and tiramisu and even some cream cheese for the topping on the cinnamon rolls. She had a half gallon of milk, a carton of eggs, and an impulse purchase of a roll of refrigerated cookie dough. The ground beef and sausage sat in a bag on the bottom shelf of the fridge, next to it a small platter of sliced cheese and meats and a small container of a variety of olives. Emma's counter was full of tomatoes and a few onions to make the sauce, as well as a bottle of red wine that she preferred to drink rather than use in a recipe.

"I think we have everything." Emma said, poking around in the fridge to see if there was anything they missed. "Hey what is this?"

"Dinner for tonight." Killian replied, grabbing the package of steaks from her and putting them back into the bag with the other meats. "If you're good." He winked at her.

Emma rolled her eyes good naturedly and started pulling the out the pantry ingredients they would need for the cinnamon rolls. They had found a quick recipe that made a small batch of six. Emma wondered if her sweet tooth would allow her to even share those six with Killian, but she hoped the mouthwatering scents from the lasagna and other dishes they would be making the next day would keep her from eating all of the cinnamon rolls.

The cinnamon roll recipe called for a stand mixer, which neither of them had. Killian had convinced Emma that it would simply require a lot of work to knead the dough without one, but they could still make it work. She thought picking up a refrigerated roll of them sounded even easier, but Killian was so excited to make the meal together she kept her mouth shut. She followed the recipe and added the warm water, yeast and sugar to a large bowl. As she waited for it to foam up, she measured out the flour and cinnamon.

Killian preheated her oven and lined a round cake pan (purchased earlier that day) with parchment paper. Once the yeast mixture became foamy Emma used a hand mixer to slowly add in the flour and butter. When it got too hard for the mixer to handle without having a dough hook, Killian took over, turning out the flour on her counter and kneading it over and over again until it formed into a soft dough.

Emma watched, impressed as the muscles in his forearms right down to his finger flexed with each pull and stretch of the dough. At this rate she had more interest in pulling him into bed than she did completing their breakfast for the next day but managed to contain herself for the time being.

Killian rolled out the dough into a rectangle. Emma had combined the cinnamon and sugar together and generously sprinkled it down the length of the dough. Killian carefully rolled the dough into a log, pinching the seams at the end shut and then sliced the dough into even pieces. He placed them onto the parchment paper lined cake pan and dusted off his hands. "We shall have cinnamon rolls for breakfast." He announced, proudly.

"They look so good. Maybe we should bake them tonight and have leftovers tomorrow." Emma said, inhaling the sugary-cinnamon scent that lingered in the air.

Killian laughed and shook his head at her. "I know you too well for that. You'll eat them all tonight if we bake them. Good things come to those who are patient, love." He teased.

Emma frowned. "Fine. Let's make something else so I can keep my mind off of them."

They decided to make the tiramisu that night, hoping that allowing the recipe to sit in the refrigerator overnight would enhance the flavors. As the recipe called for coffee, Killian was more than happy to make additional and enjoy the leftovers of the drink.

Emma washed the hand mixer and bowl and put the mascarpone cheese and sugar inside, turning on the hand mixer and moving it in slow circles until the mixture became light and fluffy. She added in the egg yolks, her hand starting to become numb from the constant vibration of the machine. Killian took over for the egg whites, cleaning the beaters and drying them thoroughly before adding the egg whites to another bowl and beating them into stiff peaks.

He gently folded the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture. Emma picked up the feather-light Ladyfinger cookies and carefully dipped them into the cooling coffee. She arrange them in the bottom of a round dish, making an even layer and Killian spread the mascarpone and egg white mixture on top. They repeated the layers until the dish was full and then added a sprinkle of cocoa powder on top.

Killian covered the dish with plastic wrap and placed it inside of Emma's fridge. Shutting the door behind him he turned around to face her. "How about I make you dinner now, love?"


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Killian

He awoke slowly, each one of his senses slowing registering in his brain as the last ripples of sleep washed away from his mind. Scent was first, the light cottony scent of Emma's fabric softener mixing with the warm scent of her shampoo. Hearing was next, the soft inhales Emma made as she slept beside him and the light tapping of Brinkley's nails on the other side of the bedroom door, letting Killian know he was awake. Taste followed. Emma had enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate spiked with peppermint vodka last night. The rich and minty flavors had transferred to his lips as he kissed her last night and still remained. Touch came fourth, the soft blankets wrapped around them, the way her hair tickled his nose, the warmth of her skin with his arm draped over her side. Then finally Killian opened his eyes. The room was gray and shadowed. There was still at least an hour until the first light and longer until the sun crept up to her place in the sky; if it didn't remain hidden today under the heavy gray clouds that had rolled in the night before.

Snowfall was imminent but the meteorologist on the previous evening's news couldn't determine just how much of the fluffy white stuff falling from the sky the area would end up getting.

He didn't want to leave the cocoon of blankets they had created, but he had left her Christmas presents in the back of his truck last night and wanted to get them under the tree before Emma woke up. She grumbled as he lifted his arm from around her, a frown forming on her sleeping face. Killian felt his affection for Emma increase as her arm reached out in front of her, patting the blankets likely in search of him. He waited until she settled again, her arm curling up to her chest before he eased himself out of bed.

He quietly padded to the bathroom, running his fingers through his hair. Killian opened Emma's bedroom door with his knee blocking the entrance so Brinkley couldn't slip past him and wake Emma up. Last night while they had curled up on the couch watching Christmas movies, Brinkley had made his way into Emma's bedroom and made himself comfortable on her bed, his head rest on a throw pillow carelessly tossed at the bottom.

Emma had laughed heartily when she saw him but Killian quickly became annoyed at how long it took to remove Brinkley from the bed so they could inhabit it instead. "Come on and be quiet." He whispered to Brinkley.

In Emma's kitchen he quietly refilled Brinkley's food and water dish and then slipped on his shoes and coat. Brinkley followed him outside and off the small porch of Emma's cottage. While his dog nosed around in Emma's yard, sniffing every tree on the property, Killian crossed the yard to his truck and pulled open the door. He gathered all of the presents on one arm, hoping he hadn't went entirely overboard and brought them inside.

He slid the packages and bags in between the ones Emma already had under her tree and then opened her front door again to let Brinkley inside. Killian plugged in the lights to Emma's Christmas tree and made himself a cup of coffee. He settled in on her couch and turned on the television with the volume almost all the way down, just taking in how the reflection of the lights bounced off of every surface creating a hazy, glittery appearance. Killian flipped through the channels until he landed on the local news. It had just switched over to the meteorologist who was saying a truly white Christmas was now unlikely. There might be flakes on and off throughout the day but the accumulations wouldn't start until the early morning hours of the day after Christmas. Killian found himself frowning, disappointed in the expected snowfall.

He watched the news a little while longer before getting up and making himself a second cup of coffee. He checked on the cinnamon rolls and found the dough had risen slightly overnight to fill every inch of available space in the pan. He hoped they wouldn't grow too much more and spill out over the pan when cooked.

A little after seven, Killian switched the television to the channel that just shows a log burning in a fireplace and headed into the kitchen to make Emma a cup of hot chocolate, hoping she would wake up soon. He had just poured the hot chocolate into her favorite mug when he heard her footsteps coming down the hall.

She went to him immediately, arms wrapping around his neck. "Merry Christmas." She said excitedly.

Killian was glad he had sat the mug back down on the counter instead of bringing it to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "Merry Christmas, love."

"Mmm. Hot chocolate." She said, looking over his shoulder at the steaming mug. "What time did you get up?"

"Around five I think." He told her, reaching across the counter to grab a candy cane and remove it from the plastic wrapping. He placed the straight end into her mug of hot chocolate and stirred. "Peppermint flavor without the alcohol."

"Good thinking. You could have woke me up." Emma told him.

"I know, but I wanted to let you sleep. I caught some of the news this morning. It looks like a white Christmas isn't in the cards anymore. They said to expect flurries throughout the day but no accumulation. Tomorrow looks like it will be the main day for snow." Killian told her, following Emma into the living room and sitting down on the couch with her.

Emma took a sip of her hot chocolate and closed her eyes. He watched as they slowly fluttered open again and she turned her gaze towards the tree. "That's too bad about the snow. A white Christmas is kind of idyllic. Hey there are more presents under the tree than there were when I went to bed!"

"Well love, that's what happens when you leave out a tumbler of rum and cookies for Saint Nick." Killian said, gesturing toward the half-eaten plate of cookies and the empty tumbler.

"Well darn. Here I was thinking it was the carrots we left for the reindeer that caused it." Emma teased. "But I guess the even the fat man can use a drink or two now and again."

"I'm sure he would swoop back in here and take those presents back if he heard you refer to him that way." Killian chided her.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I think it's time to put the cinnamon rolls in the oven. Don't you?" She got up and crossed the room into her kitchen, setting the oven timer to preheat.

She returned to her couch and sipped at her hot chocolate until the timer went off, indicating the oven had reached the correct temperature to cook the cinnamon rolls. She placed them in the oven and set the timer again, glad they had found a recipe that cooked them up quickly. Killian told her to finish enjoying her hot chocolate while he mixed up the ingredients for the sweet cream cheese frosting to go on top of them.

Emma was hovering on the edge of the kitchen when the timer finally went off. The whole cottage smelled of cinnamon and baked deliciousness so Killian could hardly tease her for impatiently waiting for their breakfast to finish cooking. He removed them from the oven and transferred the icing to a plastic bag. Cutting off the tip of the bag with sharp scissors, Killian drizzled the icing back and forth over the steaming hot cinnamon rolls in crisscross directions.

The icing melted immediately, sinking down into the soft dough, creating a sticky looking mess. He plated two cinnamon rolls on each of their plates and fixed himself his third cup of coffee and Emma's second cup of hot chocolate. He followed her back into the living room where she plopped down on the couch, sitting the mug of hot chocolate on the table beside her. The cinnamon rolls were still steaming hot but she gingerly picked one up, and took a huge bite, a moan escaping her lips as her eyes closed in delight.

Killian's eyes swung to her immediately, his body already responding to the noise she made. He cleared his throat and sat the plate of cinnamon rolls on his lap. Emma looked sheepish when she opened her eyes and met his arched eyebrow. "You know, love," he drawled, "I'd really prefer if I was the one eliciting those type of reactions from you."

He watched as a pink blush crept over her cheeks and neck. She took another bite of the cinnamon roll, eyes fluttering. Her tongue darted out to lick the corners of her lip. "I'd prefer it too." She replied coyly.

He arched an eyebrow at her again, but didn't respond. Instead he slowly ate his own cinnamon roll as Emma devoured her first one and started in on her second. When he had finished his first, he carefully set the plate down on the table and took Emma's out of her hand.

"What?" She had started to protest. He swiped his finger through the icing on top of cinnamon roll and wiped his finger on her neck. His lips followed, tongue removing the sweetness from her neck. "Ohhh." She had breathed on an exhale, leaning back against the couch and carelessly slipping the plate onto the table.

"I wasn't done with that." Killian told her, gathering more of the icing on his finger and brushing it over her lips. He watched as he slid over her, her green eyes widening with lust. He focused on her lips for a moment, formed into a pout after he had placed the icing there. His eyes flicked back up to hers for a brief second before he dipped his head and captured her bottom lip between his. The small gasp she made went straight to his groin. He alternated between sucking and licking until there wasn't a trace of the icing left, before slipping his arm behind her and kissing her soundly.

Emma shifted on the couch immediately, her arms wrapping around him, legs falling open for him to kneel in between as he hovered over her. Wanting to hear the noises she made again, he switch between kissing her and tugging her bottom lip into his mouth and licking his way down the muscles of her neck. Killian listened as her breathing became shallow when he nibbled at her collarbone and how her fingernails scratched at his spine when he captured her bottom lip.

Her hips rocked up into his, seeking friction. He mimicked the motion, grinding down against her, knowing she could feel him through the thin, flannel pajama pants he wore to bed the night before. Pinpricks of pleasure rushed over his skin at the impatient and needy whine she let out. Her fingers toyed with the waistband of his pajamas and part of him wanted to let her be impatient, rushing through all of the good stuff until they can finally come together, but the more romantic side of his brain won out. On Christmas day and he had a gorgeous woman he'd fallen in love with underneath him, ready and wanting. There were no hard set plans, no children impatient to open presents, no families to visit. And while in some circumstances that would make one sad, Killian decided to take it to his advantage. With no interruptions and nowhere to be, he could take his time savoring her body.

Gently pushing her hand away, he captured her fingers, pulling her arm above her head and linking their fingers together. His lips returned to her neck, open-mouthed kisses mixed with flicks of his tongue against her collarbone. Nosing the sweater off her shoulder, his lips made their way across every inch of the newly exposed skin. Her free hand alternated between scratching at his scalp and pulling her fingers through his hair. Letting go of her other hand for a moment, he pulled her up with him into a half sitting position, pulling the sweater over her head, pleased to find Emma is only wearing a camisole in place of a bra. He knew it from the chill in the air, but pure lust courses through him as goosebumps broke out on her arms, her nipples hardening through the thin materials under his gaze.

With a gentle push to her shoulder, he maneuvered Emma back into a lying position once again, covering her body with his and seeking her lips. His fingers traced a light pattern over her arms, a contrast to quick nips he takes of her lips and neck. "You're taking forever." She told him, impatience winning out as she grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast.

Killian smirked. "No, love. I'm savoring."

"Well savor a little faster." She huffed impatiently, hips rocking up into his again.

He chuckled but didn't answer, knowing she wouldn't like the response. Instead he traced the lace edging at the top of her camisole with his tongue, his other hand slipping under the thin materials to trace circles on her hip. Scooting backward on the couch he found his mouth level with her breasts. He let out a long stream of air, watching as her nipples hardened further through the thin material. Ducking his head, his tongue twisted around the distended peak, Emma arched her back into him, the quiet hiss that left her lips. He alternated, switching back and forth, teasing her until her back remained in an arched position, her hips rolling repeatedly up into his. Killian worked his way lower, capturing the hem of her camisole between his teeth and tugging it upward to free her straining breasts. The groan she let out as his stubble brushed over her sensitized flesh was positively indecent. Leaving Emma to finish pulling the camisole over her head, he returned to his previous task, alternating between kissing and sucking. Her fingers dug into his scalp with each suck, the heel of her foot pressing into his backside, urging him closer. But he took his time still, licking and sucking the underside of her breasts, the flat planes of her stomach and the divots of her hip bones, cataloguing and savoring each noise of pleasure and impatience she made.

He licked at the waistband of her leggings, tongue darting slightly underneath. She hissed when his teeth scraped against her skin, tugging the soft material down inch by inch. He paused when he had it pulled down to her knees, kissing the sensitive skin on the inside of each. He expected another groan from Emma, a quip about taking his time but instead heard a sigh fall from her lips. His eyes swung toward her and found her playing with her breasts. His mouth turned dry at the sight and he briefly managed to wonder why he had never asked her to touch herself before. It was easily one of the most beautiful things he had ever encountered. Her eyes fluttered open and met his. He expected a pink blush to stain her cheeks but it appeared a seductress had replaced his Emma instead. Her eyebrows raised, a smirk forming on her lips as one hand slowly trailed away from her breast and down her stomach.

"You're taking too long." She said, a hint of challenge in her voice.

"Oh." He said nonchalantly, watching as her fingers twirled around her breast, her other hand hovering between her thighs. He moved closer, settling on his forearms between her legs. "Perhaps we shall see how long I can make you wait to come." Her eyebrows raised incredulously.

He took the hand hovering between her legs and placed it on her free breast. "You may play with those, but this is mine." He said, tilting his head downward in the direction of her sex, watching as she froze. "Go on love, touch yourself."

He waited, watching as her fingers began to move again before sliding his hands under her bottom and pulling her flush against his mouth. "Jesus!" She hissed at the intimate contact.

"Killian will do." He replied cockily and began to see just how long he could bring her to the edge of orgasm.

It didn't take long at all, knowing how worked up she had been before he started the current task. He decided to not tease her further and redoubled his efforts, coaxing her through her orgasm but never pulling back or stopping.

When she stopped trembling against his tongue, he slowly increased the pace and pressure again, unable to stop himself from grinning as she quickly came again. He nibbled at the sensitive skin on the inside of her thigh before coming to rest his chin on her stomach. "Did you like your first gift? Or perhaps that counts as two." He smirked at her.

Emma rolled her eyes. "We need to do something about how cocky you are." She said, pulling him towards her, slipping her fingers under the waistband of his pajama bottoms and pushing them down.

He barely had time to react or even help her, with how quickly she managed to get him undressed and climb into his lap. Her nails scratched down his chest as she sunk down on him, her teeth biting at his lips. He sat still for a few moments as she rose up and down, allowing her to find a rhythm, but when she began to speed up, another idea came to mind. Breaking their kiss, his hand came to rest on his thigh, holding her down. "Are you interested in trying something new?"

"Sure." She replied, forehead bumping against his.

Killian rotated his finger in a circle, indicating she should turn around. He repositioned himself on the couch and then guided her back down. She hummed appreciatively at the new angle. Pulling her hair off her neck on one side, his lips took its place, pressing kisses under her ear. His arm anchored around her, the other coming to play with her breasts as he shallowly rocked into her.

"This slow?" She asked, pushing back against him.

"Yes. Slow is good." He replied, kissing along her neck. "It builds anticipation." His fingers brushed lightly over her nipples. "It extends pleasure." The hand around around her waist dipped lower between her thighs. He felt her relax back against him, allowing him to do as he wished with her body.

Her head tilted back, finding his lips. It was a slow, languid kiss, matching the movement of their bodies. "Slow is good." She agreed.

* * *

Sorry for the late posting. This chapter didn't want to come together.


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